An Account of the Misadventures of Sunburn and Frostbite
by xkeyblademasterx.tumblr
Summary: Oneshots about Jack and my OC, Lifa. Includes Jack's two years as a Guardian before Pitch's Old Comrade, Lifa's years before her memory was erased, Jack/Lifa/and/or Guardian moments. Requests are taken! Ranging from gore, to humor, to family, to hurt/comfort and the like. Request anything, I'll prob give it a shot. Jamie and company are included!
1. Kids Again Part 1

**Lifa and Jack get into North's experimental projects, and are reverted to children, leaving them in the hands of Sandy, Tooth and Bunny while North tries to create an antidote.** **There will be some sad stuff in here, but it's mostly cute family stuff. Alons-y!**

Jack and Lifa poked their heads around the corner of the hall. It was one month before Christmas, and amazingly, North had completely Christmas preparations early enough to take some time alone on some in-progress projects. Lifa had been sneaking around, as usual, waiting for a chance to pounce and snoop around. It wasn't long until Jack picked up on the fun and joined in. Now, they were both watching for a moment when North would leave his office. But being crammed together in each other's personal space to accommodate the small area they had to hide in, between a broom closet and a wall at the end of the hall, was starting to wear away their patience.

"Jokul, could you _please _back up?! You're breathing down my neck, and it's COLD."

"Yeah? Well, you have your bony little elbow jammed into my ribcage!"

"It wouldn't be if you'd just _back up."_

"Shut up, Sunburn! You'll get us caught!"

"Sunburn?! Says the Slush-for-brains!"

"SHH!"

Lifa scowled, but stopped the whispered argument. Suddenly, she sat straight up, with the incredible likeness of a meerkat, listening. She could hear the soft click of a door being pushed open and then closed again. Turning to Jack, she put a finger to her lips in a gesture to stay quiet, and waited for North to leave. Of course, he headed straight for the kitchen. No doubt for a "cookie break" as she called them.

"Alright. Come on, lad. Let's get to it." She grinned, standing up and darted into the office, Jack close behind. Splitting up, Jack took the left side of the office, and Lifa took the right.

What Jack found was several bottles, and ice sculptures. He saw the ice sculptures on a regular basis, so they didn't peak his interest. No, it was the bottles. Picking up a clear, crystal bottle of baby blue, and baby pink swirly powder, he turned to Lifa. "Hey, Sunburn. Can you read what this says? It's got weird writing on it."

Lifa put down the books she'd been speed-reading, and walked over. "It's Greek, dumbo. Yes, I can read it. It says Hebe Dust."

Jack stared at her blankly.

Lifa sighed. Of course. Another history lesson. "Alright, Hebe is the Greek goddess of Youth. Whatever this dust is, it's got something to do with it. But on the bottom of the bottle, it says in Russian that it's incomplete, and dangerous. So don't drop it."

"Yeah, yeah. Greek hoodoo gods and goddesses, dangerous powder, blah blah." Jack tossed it in the air, and caught it in one hand. "I'm perfectly coordinated."

"Jokul, stop being an idjit! You'll break it!"

"No, I won't," Jack contradicted, tossing and catching the bottle, "It's perfectly fi-" But at that moment, a thin layer of ice naturally formed by Jack's cold fingers coated the bottle, and it slipped through his fingers, and smashed on the floor.

"YOU DOLT!" Lifa cried, coughing as the dust flew up in a cloud that enveloped them both. Jack coughed and rubbed his watering eyes, "It was an accident!"

Jack gasped. He felt w_rong. _Burning and cold at the same time, light headed and off-balance. Lifa wasn't fairing any better. When North finally came back, he was blinded by a flash of pink and blue light. "_Chto?!"_

Dashing forward, North waved his arms through the dust cloud until it cleared. "Lifa. Jack! Are you-"

Once the smoke cleared, it revealed two small people. No, not people. Little kids. A tiny six year old girl with big, golden brown eyes, speckled with green, and deep, honey colored curls. Freckles sprayed across her nose and cheeks, a slightly round face. She was wearing a clothes far too large for her. The red sweatshirt fit her like a dress. And then, there was the boy next to her. Over-sized blue hoody, big brown eyes, unruly brown hair...Both children stared up at him innocently.

North groaned, "Oh, no...Dis ees bad."

The brown haired child finally spoke, grinning, "Are you Santa?!"

Correction: Very bad.


	2. Kids Again Part 2

It was twenty minutes after North had contacted Bunny about a Sun-and-Ice related problem. Usually, Bunny arrived at the pole within half an hour after being called. Funny. All the mandatory Guardian meetings he was called to usually took him an hour or so to arrive.

Hopping as fast as he could over the snow, despising the cold, Bunny burst into the Pole. "Alright, what've they done now?" he asked North as the Russian came running up to him.

"They got into my office! And broke bottle!"

"Alright, well, that happened when Lifa got into the liquor cabinet last month. What was in the bottle?"

"Experiment. But I can fix problem! It vill just take time."

Bunny pinched the bridge of his nose, "North, where's Sunny and Frost?"

"In parlor. Elves are keeping them occupied. But you don't need to see them!" North protested, as Bunny walked by him, "Really, they are unhurt, but they should be left alone. Bunny!"

Bunny had long learned that when Jack and Lifa caused trouble, it was best to either nip it in the bud, or inspect the damage as soon as possible. No matter how big the risk of him having a heartattack...Opening the door to the parlor, Bunny walked inside. At first, all he saw were elves being terrorized. Nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until a little girl wearing jeans, a pale yellow shirt and what suspiciously looked like Lifa's fur vest (that was much too big for her) ran past him. "What the-"

And then another little kid, a boy, dashed past him in the other direction, and tripped over his own feet, and took a face plant. Unabashed, he scrambled to his feet, grinning, and holding an elf in his arms. But then he saw Bunny, and dropped the elf, standing with his mouth agape. The little girl ran by again, and skidded to a stop, and mimicked the boy's response. Jack was eight years old. Lifa was six. They were practically toddlers!_  
_

Oh, Man in Moon forgive him but Bunny was going to _kill _that man.

_**"NORTH!"** _He roared, turning around.

North peaked around the door frame cautiously. Now, he was in no way afraid of Bunny. But the Pooka was incredibly protective, and compassionate over the two teenagers. After all, they'd both needed some...parental guidance, and Bunny had stepped up to it. Now, North had, in a way, brought harm to them, and now he had to face Bunny's protective-father wrath. So no, he was not going to enter that room. "It vas accident...their own faul-"

"YOU MADE THE DAMN STUFF, NOW LOOK AT 'EM! THEY'RE KIDS! LITTLE KIDS! AND WORST OF ALL, HUMAN! NORTH, I SWEAR, YOU'D BETTER FIX THIS A.S.A.P OR-" Bunny stopped yelling when he felt someone tug on his paw. Looking down, he saw tiny Jack gaping up at him. "Who are you?!"

"Er...Easter Bunny." he answered hesitantly. So Jack had no memories of a Guardian. Great. Another problem.

Jack grinned as wide as his little face could allow. "I knew you were real! Papa told me about you! But I thought you were little! Why are you so tall? Why do you know Santa? Do you paint all the eggs?"

Bunny felt his heart plummet at the words, "Papa told me about you". Of course, he was age eight. Jack's father died when he was eleven years old. How could he tell...No. He didn't have to find out. Deciding he'd better answer the questions, he knelt down, and said, "Well, I'm tall because I'm a warrior, Santa here is my...colleague, and yeah, I do paint all the eggs."

Jack started to ask another question, but then North darted across the room, "No, Lifa! Off window sill!" he ordered, plucking the tiny girl off the sill she'd somehow clambered up onto. Lifa thrashed and put up a good fight, "NO! NO NO NO!"

"Please, child, calm down- Hey!" Lifa wriggled out of his grip and ran across the room to the other window, babbling about...A dragon coming? And needing to get inside?

"Oi, Sunny, what are you on about?" Bunny asked, picking up Jack and placing him on his shoulders. Jack immediately grabbed his ear and Bunny yelped, "Ow! Oi, Jack, never grab a bunny's ears!"

"Sorry," he muttered, letting go. Lifa turned around, "I don't know you! I can't be here! Daddy'll come and take me home, and you'll be in big trouble and Toothless'll blow everything up!" she threw her arms up in the air for emphasis.

"Umm...okay, listen, mate, we didn't...kidnap you. And who's Toothless?" Bunny knelt down in front of her.

"The Night Fury!"

"And what's a Night Fury?"

"A dragon. Big and black and scary. His name is Toothless, and he's my best friend!"

"Right..." Bunny put Jack down and headed back over to North, "Okay, so we have several problems. But first, we need to figure out what to do with those two." he jerked his head at Jack and Lifa. Jack had just convinced her to play a hand game with him, and now he was teaching her High Low Piccolo. At least he was falling neatly into the role as a big brother. Jack was small, but Lifa was even smaller.

"Ve can get Tooth to babysit," North suggested.

Bunny thought about it, then said, "As much as she would love too, she can't babysit during the night. She has tooth collecting to do. Call her here, and have her watch 'em for the day. But I need to tell ya something about Jack and Lifa's...mental states."

North nodded, "Da. I vill call Tooth."

After North left to do just that, Bunny turned to the two kids, listening to Jack sing the hand game's song while he taught Lifa the clapping. "My name is high low piccolo..Piccolo high low..."

Walking over and plunking down in a chair, he sat back. They weren't doing anything wrong now. But still, it worried him about Lifa's particular reaction. She thought she was captured. A little girl that young, with the idea that there were people out there who'd take her away? Then again, she did used to be a viking, when she was human. Of course she must have lived with enemies across the borders of her home. And a _dragon _named Toothless was her best friend? What the bloody hell was her life like?

Bunny always hated when the fact he knew very little about the two children's lives was put into perspective.


	3. Hiccup the Fourth

**Requested by a tumblr buddy: Birth of Lifa (human)**

**Important info: Lifa is Hiccup Haddock's daughter, and was Hiccup's intended successor. Yes, she was a born leader and conqueror. However, she never inherited the duty of being the chief. This chapter includes her birth, and early years with Toothless and her loving father, Hiccup, and her grandfather Stoic.(mother will be Astrid. Who do you think Lifa gets her violent "communicating" skills from? hehehe) Without further a-do, ALONSY!**

When the tiny infant was placed in his arms, swaddled in a white blanket, Hiccup could hardly believe how small she was. And he could not believe how _beautiful _she was, either. She had lots of honey colored, wispy curls on her head, and cheeks that were a healthy shade of pink. Keeping her tiny fist locked around Hiccup's finger, she slept peacefully. Gods, she was small...

Still, the premature birth didn't kill her. A runt, yes, she was, but weak? Absolutely not. When she'd been born, she'd cried louder than any other baby could, and it was clear she had a strong set of lungs. Still, succeeding to live? Everyone doubted it. Astrid refused to believe it. Astrid Haddock's daughter, weak? Ha! When dragons eat eels.

No, she'd been born strong. As Astrid slept, (thoroughly exhausted) Hiccup carried his newborn daughter out of the room, and called softly, "Come 'ere, Bud."

The Night Fury lifted his head from the corner where he'd been curled up, and lumbered over, slowing his speed as he got closer. Hiccup knelt down, so Toothless could see the baby. "This is my little girl, Toothless. She's part of our family now. Say hello."

Toothless's pupils widened in awe, and he lowered his head, the tip of his nose barely touching the baby's face. If anyone else saw this, they'd have a heart attack. But Hiccup was just fine. Toothless would never hurt a baby, especially not Hiccup's.

Right then, the baby opened her eyes. An amber and gold combination, speckled with the same forest greens that made up Hiccup's own eyes. He smiled a little. The baby reached up her itty bitty hand, and placed it palm-first again Toothless's nose, and giggled a little. That made pride well up in Hiccup's chest. She wasn't the least bit afraid of Toothless!

Toothless purred softly, welcoming the touch. _Purpurpurpurpur..._

And what did they name the little girl? Well, considering she certainly fought hard against the odds, and survived, they thought they should name her after her strength. Her strength to _live. _Thus, Lifa Eir Hiccup Haddock the Fourth was the name given to her. Lifa for short. Lifa was the name of life.

**Five years later-**

"Dad, I really don't think she'd big enough to go for a ride on Thornado." Hiccup protested, walking behind his elderly, but certainly not weakening, father. "Lifa is three feet tall!"

"Nonsense, she'll love it! And besides, I promised her I would."

Groaning, Hiccup stopped walking and threw his hands up in exasperation. He _had _to promise her. Lifa held onto promises with a death grip. She made a promise, she kept it (however, she has bent her words a bit on rare occasion) and when something made a promise to her, she believed it. Lifa was always heartbroken when someone didn't keep a promise to her, like with Snotlout had promised her he would let her pet Hookfang, but decided not too, in case he flamed up and charred the village chief's daughter. She'd started crying, and he'd been forced to let her get close to the Monstrous Nightmare. Much to his shock, (and indignation) Hookfang took a shine to her and was incredibly gentle.

"She takes after me, you know," Stoic went on proudly, "Fearless! Not a single dragon has ever scared her! It will be just fine, she and Thornado will be the best of friends. What could go wrong?"

_Oh, lots of things. _Hiccup thought despairingly. _A storm, falling, saddle not being strapped on right, a rogue dragon attacking, incineration...wait, no, that falls into the "rogue dragon" category...okay, that's enough, stop!_

"Dad, what if she gets hurt? She's only ridden Toothless, and that's him _walking. _There is no way you are-"

"Grandad!"

_Aw, crap. _Hiccup and Stoic turned around to see Hiccup's five year old daughter come running up. Dressed in a pale, sandy beige tunic, brown leggings, and her fur boots, she looked like any other viking child. That is, if she wasn't so small.

Stoic knelt down, catching her in a hug. Hiccup stiffened, but as always, Stoic didn't end up crushing her. "Dad...Really, how about you do it when she's older? Technically, you won't be breaking your promise-"

"Great Thor, Hiccup, you worry way too much." came a feminine voice.

Turning around, he saw Astrid coming out of the house. "She'll be fine. Your father will keep her safe, won't he?" she looked pointedly at Stoic like _you-let-her-out-your-sight-and-you'll-LOSE-your-si ght. _

"Daddy, I want to go! Please? Please please _please!" _she begged, clinging to his hand, and giving him the big-amber-eyes look.

_Oh, no, not the eyes. _Finally, he caved and knelt down in front of his daughter. "Okay, you can go for a ride on Thornado. But you hold on tight, and listen to your Grandad, okay?"

The expression lighting up on her face was worth the losing his argument. She threw her arms around his neck, "Thank you!" Hiccup smiled, and hugged her. "Alright, off you go, kiddo." he said, letting her go.

As Hiccup watched his father pick up Lifa and carry her on his shoulders, (her favorite thing in the world was to have people carry her. It made her feel taller.) he felt a bittersweet pang in his chest. Astrid came over and stood next to him, smiling. "She gave you the big eyes look, didn't she?"

He nodded forlornly. "Yeah. I can't say no when she does that. Maybe I should take Toothless and go with them, just to make sure-"

Astrid elbowed him, "Give it a rest, Hic. Stoic loves her! He won't let anything happen to her, and nothing will happen, anyway. She's tiny, not helpless. Like you."

Hiccup rubbed his arm, "Yeah, you're right."

"Of course I am," Astrid smiled. She kissed him on his cheek, and hefted her axe over her shoulder, "I'm going to do some training. Coming?"

Hiccup looked up to see Thornado in the sky. Nothing seemed wrong. "Nah...I'll stay here." Astrid shrugged, and headed off to get Stormfly. Hiccup sat on the ground, watching them fly. He wasn't worried. Not really. But he was just going to make sure.

**Alright, just to clear it up, Lifa is in fact the Norse name of life. It's a girl's name translating directly to the word life, so it is in fact a name that would be given to a baby girl like Lifa. Eir means "help" or "mercy" derived from the goddess of healing and medicine. Hiccup was of course given to her because she was a hiccup, a runt, and it's a given that she's named after her father. Just giving some info of how I named her. **

**To my tumblr buddy: I hoped you liked this! I did. Imma write some more.**


	4. Jamie meets Sunshine

**I decided to throw Jamie in, huzzah! I love the little shit, he's so adorable, and this is coming from me, the girl who only has maternal instinct for a. her airsoft kit b. archery set and last of all, e. violin (I LOVE YOU, MY PRECIOUS MUSE)**

**Anywho, Jack introduces Lifa to Jamie, and it does not go how he expects. Third person limited, to Jamie. Starts with Lifa's point of view first, though. Then, Jamie. His thoughts only. Generally a short chapter I wanted to burn out real quick. Now, on to the chapter! ALONSY!**

****"So, where're we goin', Jokul?" she asked, climbing out of the tunnel from the Warren, wearing her white yarn scarf, gray beanie hat, flowing deep read cloak, jeans, leather boots and champagne colored longsleeve shirt. She didn't need the scarf, or the hat, but since it was winter, Bunny had made her bundle up. Whatever made the Pooka stop his worrying. _Sweet old lump of fur. _

Jack hovered in the air, gazing around the beautiful winter scene. "This is Burgess. My best friend lives here. I thought you might want to meet him."

"Is he human?"

"Yeah."

"Forget it. He won't see me." she turned back to the tunnel, brushing off the idea like a bothersome fly. Jack hooked the crook of his staff around her arm and pulled her back, "He will if I tell him about you. Really, I promise, he'll definitely want to meet you."

"You promise?" she looked at him funny, arching her eyebrows. Debating it for a little bit, she decided to test his reliability. "Alright. I hold you to it." she held out her little finger to him. Jack hooked his own little finger around it, and shook. "Yep, pinky promise. Let's go!"

"RACE YOU!" before Jack could even realize she'd manipulated the sunlight to create her angelic wings, (which were, in fact, incredibly intimidating.) and rocketed into the sky.

"Wait! LIFA, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING! Sheesh." Jack followed suit, "She's getting faster..."

**Jamie's house and POV-**

Twelve year old Jamie lay on his bed, hanging upside with the top of his head against the floor and arms folded over his face, miserable. It was finally the weekend, and all his friends were busy. Sophie was at her friend Amy's house, and his parents were watching Kings and Queens downstairs. Horrible show, in his opinion. If something would just happen already to break this boredom...

_Tap tap tap. _

Jamie sat bolt upright, already knowing who it was. "Oh, thank _God." _Darting across the room, he hauled the window open. "Jack! Finally! I'm dying here, I have nothing to do."

"Well, good thing the Guardian of Fun is here. Scoot over, I brought a friend with me." Jack clambered through the window. Jamie peered outside, but he didn't see anyone.

"Umm...Jack. There's no one there."

"Well, that's because you don't believe in her." the winter spirit said simply. "She's a little new."

"She? Your girlfriend?"

"_NO! _God no, definitely not- OW." Jack rubbed the back of his head, and turned sharply around, talking, apparently, to nobody. "Why is it always violence with you?! ...Well, that's a terrible way of communicating, if you ask me...What did you just call me? Jamie, do you know what a reprobate is?"

"Uhh, no." Jamie looked at Jack funny, and sat back down on his bed. "Alright, tell me about this not-your-girlfriend."

"Ah, the story begins. Well, she's arrogant, volatile, uses a lot of big words- Sorry!" Jack ducked. "Stop hitting! ...alright, alright, jeez, I'm on it. Okay, so her name is Lifa, and she's the Guardian of the Sun. Makes it rise and set and all that. Old war buddy of Bunny's."

"War buddy?"

"Yep. She's quite a warrior. Really kicks butt. She's standing three feet away."

Jamie shifted his gaze to Jack, and jumped when he saw a girl standing there. A _pretty _girl.

"Ello, lad." she gave him a two finger salute.

She had thick, chocolate colored curls that had coppery highlights, a spray of freckles over her nose and cheek bones, fair skin, pretty naturally rosy bow lips, and luminously golden eyes. Her face was slightly round, and she was small, and slender, and was wearing a red cloak with a bronze clasp that hung closed. The only thing Jamie could see under the cloak was the toes of the leather boots below the hem. Strikingly beautiful, but regal and intimidating at the same time.

"H-h-hi...Lifa?" Jamie ventured.

"Aye. What're you staring at me for?" she nodded.

"Yeah, you're all...red." Jack cocked his head at him. "Do you have a fever or something?"

"He sees me? Wow. You keep your promises, Slush-brains, I'll give you that much. Mind if I sit?" she asked, looking around. Jamie nodded, jumping up and grabbing his desk chair. Lifa plunked down in it, "Thanks. Alright, so you're Jamie, eh?"

"Yeah. Hey, how'd you two meet?" Jamie inquired, looking between them.

"Oh. He stalked me, and I threw a rock at him and gave him a concussion." Lifa answered. Jack blanched, "HEY! I was not stalking you! And you were the rude one, chucking rocks at people..."

"Pfft, you're just mad because I have a better throwing arm than you do," she snickered.

Jamie smiled a little. "She kicks your butt on a regular basis, doesn't she?"

Lifa laughed, "I like this kid!" Her laugh was from the belly up, strong, loud, and contagious. Jamie smiled more.

Jack pouted, crossing his arms. He was already regretting this decision.


	5. Reading Lessons

Jack could read. Sort of...

Okay, not really. He'd never actually gone to school. He could do basic math, and stuff like that, but legitimately read a book? Absolutely not. And none of the Guardians knew.

Until one day, he couldn't find Lifa. When he'd asked Bunny, he'd told Jack she was at the Pole. Jack went straight there, but checked every single room and didn't find her.

"North! Where the heck is she? I've looked everywhere."

"Did you check library?" North asked absently, inspecting an ice sculpture of a wind-up robot.

Jack frowned. "I didn't know you had one..."

"Bottom floor. Big doors. Cannot miss it. Now leave me be."

* * *

When did North even find time to read? Jack walked down the hall, and finally came to a pair of large, wooden double doors. Yep. Can't miss it. Jack pushed up the doors and was so shocked at what he found, he dropped his staff.

He'd never seen so many books in his entire life. The books shelves rose taller than any tree he'd ever seen, and there were curved staircases climbing up to a whole other level of even more books. Ladders on wheels that stood against the shelves, lounge chairs scattered about. It would take centuries to gather all these books, but an eternity to read them!

Flying through the rows and rows of book, he finally felt a change in air and light. When Lifa was around, the light in the area brightened a little and the air grew pleasantly warm. Even in his opinion, it was nice. Turning the corner, he found her laying her stomach, elbows against the floor and chin placed in her hands, reading. She was surrounded by thick books, in lots of different languages. There was even scrolls that must have been Japanese or Chinese. Maybe even Korean. The characters all looked the same to him.

Lifa had her thick hair woven into a long French braid, but her long bangs remained loose, the fringe hanging in her golden eyes. As usual, she kept running and twisting her long, thin fingers through her bangs. A habit of hers, to keep her hands busy. She was wearing her usual champagne longsleeve tunic, brown fur vest and gray leggings. Her socks didn't match. One was yellow and orange striped, the other bright blue. Nothing out of the ordinary, except the fact that she looked so...relaxed. And happy. Lifa was always cold, calculating and stiff. No concept of fun, unless it involved the possibility of death.

He walked up and stood in front of her. She didn't even look up, completely absorbed in her book. The writing looked...Greek? Roman? To hell with it, he couldn't read any language.

Finally, he spoke, "Wutcha reading there?"

Lifa jumped, and slammed her hands down on the floor, swing her leg around and kicking Jack's feet out from under him, then holding her arm against his throat.

"Lif-Just-me...Jack..." he choked.

Lifa blinked and back up. "Oi, don't sneak up on me like that, Jokul. I could've killed ya." she huffed in her Norwegian accented voice.

"I'm surprised you haven't," he muttered, sitting up. "I'm bored. You want to go dunk some elves in Bunny's paint river?"

"No. I'm reading." she grunted, resuming her previous position, and turning the page. "Look around, there's plenty of entertainment."

"Uhh...okay," Jack looked around. He didn't want her to know he couldn't read. He watched her speed-read book after book, until finally she spoke. "You don't have to hide it, you know. It's pretty obvious."

"Hide what?" Jack frowned.

"You can't read."

Jack's face turned a tinge of purple. Winter spirit blush. "I-I...How is it obvious?!"

"My deductive reasoning. To others, it isn't. To me, yes. You'd love reading. Endless variety of stories and lessons and all that...It's fun. If you could read, you would probably do it all the time. And you hold your staff close to your chest when you're uncomfortable, threatened, nervous or scared. You didn't want me to know."

"How the heck did you know these things?!" Jack said, exasperated and despairing.

"I don't know," Lifa moved on to a scroll, "I notice and deduce."

"Please...don't tell the others, okay?" Jack sat down next to her. "You're the only one who knows."

"Not even Bunny?" Lifa arched her thin, dark eyebrows at him in surprise. "You're really that self-conscious about it?"

Jack nodded. Lifa frowned for a moment, the grabbed the front of his hoody and pulled him down next to her. "Alright. I'm going to teach you to read. Let's start with...a personal favorite of mine." She pulled a different book off a pile to her left, and opened it.

"What? Lifa, I'm...stupid. I don't think you can teach me anything!"

"I taught you how to play the guitar, didn't I? This is the first book in the Harry Potter series. I bet Jamie has read it. After we read the books, we'll watch the movies, okay? First page. You know the alphabet?"

Jack nodded. "Yes..."

"Alright. Good. This'll be easy."

And thus, Jack's reading lessons began. It was agonizingly slow going, and they spent hours on it. It'd been so hard at first, that Jack actually teared up in frustration. Lifa noticed, but pretended not too, much to Jack's relief. But finally, Jack read a full chapter aloud with Lifa's vocalized encouragement (but she did smile a lot at him. He appreciated the rare sight of the gentle coaxing.) and when he got to the end, Lifa had started clapping and said, "See? You're brilliant!"

Brilliant. He'd never been called brilliant before. Brilliant was one of Lifa's favorite words in the world. He smiled back. "Can we keep reading tomorrow? I like this book a lot."

"Of course! I wanted to reread the series again. Here," she took another book from the pile. Grimms Fairy Tales. "You might like this. Practice reading, okay? There are some poems in it, too. Easy stuff."

Jack took the book, and stood up, clutching both it and his staff close. "Thank you."

"No big deal," she shrugged it off.

Jack shook his head, "No, really. Thanks." Lifa gave him looked at him like he was acting funny. "Your welcome, Jokul. Anytime you need help, I'm around. This'll be our little secret, too. Deal?"

Jack grinned, "Deal."


	6. Depression and Reassurance

Bunny could easily tell how someone was feeling, no matter how easily they can mask it. Lifa was a phenomenal actress, but every human had a certain...smell when they were sad.

It was very strong on Lifa today. She kept the hood of her red cloak up and hugged herself very often, clenching her fingers in her fur vest. Why was that vest so precious, anyway?

Jack didn't notice. He kept pestering her all morning to do something fun with him. He threw snowballs at her (which she caught midair and nailed him in the head with) tried to get the wind to pick her up (which made her think he was making fun of how small she was) and the like. But when Jack iced her vest, she flipped her lid.

Lifa immediately slashed her hand through the air, gathering the sunlight into a bowstaff as she did, and slammed it against Jack's throat, pinning him to the ground. _"DON'T EVER DO THAT." _

"Whoa whoa, Sunny, don't crush his larynx!" Bunny ran over, and pulled her off of Jack, who was incredibly shocked and intimidated. "I'm sure he didn't mean to be a...um..."

"Douche." Lifa suggested.

"Language." Jack and Bunny said in unison.

"Rack off!" Lifa stood up, letting her weapon return to it's original form of light particles. Unfortunately, she didn't do that very carefully, and the temperature in the warren shot up twenty degrees. Jack gasped and his knees buckled. Bunny caught him, "Oi! Sunny, you can't do that, you'll make him sick. Jack? How many ears do ya see, mate?"

Lifa scowled. "He needs to toughen up, anyway...I'm leaving. Going for a flight."

Before Jack or Bunny could protest, Lifa already had taken more sunlight, created her wings, and was skyrocketing into the air at incredible speed. And then gone.

"Bunny...is this just an "emotional woman" thing or...is something actually wrong with her?" Jack asked.

"Dunno, mate. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was actually depressed. Don't know what she would be depressed _about. _"

"I'd say she's just violent." Jack sat down, rubbing his neck in discomfort. It would probably bruise. "Why is she like that?"

"She grew up as a viking, Frost. She spent her whole life learning to fight, and putting those lessons to good use. Not to mention being the closest thing to royalty, back then, it was a one-way ticket to being used as a hostage."

"Lifa?! What, a _princess?! _You're joking."

"Not a princess. An...heiress is more like it. See, she was the chief's daughter. That's about all I know."

"Huh...so she had a family, like I did, before she was a Guardian?" Jack softened a little. Bunny just nodded sullenly. They had an idea what she was sad about.

* * *

Lifa flew all the way to Norway, and right over the coast. Finally, she came to a chain of islands. _Thank gods, they're still here. What's left of them._

She touched down onto the island called Berk. It was lifeless now. Just a rocky outcropping off the coast, that no one cared about. This was wrong. In every single way. There used to be trees, grass, plants, animals...A village. She kept walking on the beach. This was where trader Johan docked his ship...her mother had bought her cloak from him and given to Lifa for her thirteenth birthday. She kept walking, climbing the hill...her home was gone, too. She could still picture it all. The fireplace, the stairs, her parents room, her own room...The hole in the roof for Toothless to come in and out...

Toothless. She missed him, too. She woke up every morning to those big green eyes. Even as a baby, he was there, watching over her. If her mother or father wasn't able to go with her, they made her take Toothless along. Even on her first date.

Lifa sat down in the middle of where her house used to be and curled up, hugging herself. She couldn't stop the flow of tears, no matter how ashamed she felt. _Warriors don't cry._

But what the hell did she have to fight for now? There was nothing to fight, anyway. No Outcasts, no Fearlings, nothing...

Lifa wiped her face with the heel of her hand, but more tears came. She hiccuped loudly. Dammit, she always hiccuped when she cried. It made her chest ache, too, and that only made her cry harder. If her parents were still here...and Toothless...Daddy would hug her, and ask her what was wrong. Even though she'd blubber out every single word, he understood anyway. Mom would stroke her hair and assure her it would be okay, call Lifa her baby girl. Toothless would pur and let Lifa hug him and he'd extend his wings around them both. She felt _safe _when they were there. But they weren't there anymore. Not her mother or father, or her best friend. Her family wouldn't even recognize the person she's become now.

All she could do was sob her heart out, alone.

* * *

"You want ME to talk to her?! Bunny, she'll KILL me."

"Well, you're her best friend. Closest thing to it." Bunny shoved Jack out of the tunnel. "Go find her. Check in Norway. Some old islands off the coast, probably."

"She wants to be alone." Jack protested.

"Alright, I'll stop ya there. When you're upset, ya take off to be alone. Correct?"

Jack nodded grudgingly.

Bunny went on, "But ya don't _want _to be alone. Ya want me or North or Tooth or Sandy to find ya, and help ya. But you're afraid to ask us t' help. I know that's what you're like, and Lifa isn't...well, she's not much different from you."

Jack sighed, "Okay. I'll talk to her. What do I say?"

"Whatever comes to ya."

* * *

Jack landed on the third island he was searching on. Talk to Lifa. Excellent idea. He could barely talk to her on a regular basis. She always seemed angry. Angry at him, angry at...everything. She lashed out so often, and Jack thought it was unhealthy.

He stopped walking up the hill, hearing a noise that he didn't recognize at first. When he heard it again, he realized it was someone crying. And dear God, it was the most heartbreaking noise he'd ever heard. _Please don't let that be her._

But he came over the hill, and it definitely was her, Lifa, on her knees, with her face in her hands, sobbing and hiccuping uncontrollably. Jack never thought he'd EVER see her cry, but this...he didn't expect it to twist his hard in knots.

Lifa didn't even notice when he came up behind her. Jack knelt down next to her, and hesitatingly lay his hand on her back. "Sunny?"

Lifa flinched away, and tried to punch him. Jack caught her wrist, gently. "Hey, no violence. Tell me what's happening with you."

She shook her head, and the tears came all over again.

"You're pitiful." Jack said without thinking, pulling her into a hug. Lifa probably hated it. He was cold. She hated the cold. But Jack was shocked when she clenched her fits in the front of his hoody, and sobbed against his chest. That's when she choked out the words.

"I-I miss...my d-dad...and mom..." she hiccuped loudly. "And T-toothless...Jokul, they're _gone. Everything is gone!"_

So that was it. This was her home, and now it was reduced to nothing. Jack hugged her a little tighter. "I know. It hurts. But it doesn't last forever. I miss my family, too...it'll be okay. You'll be okay, Sunburn."

"How do you know that?!" Lifa lifted her head, glaring at him, gold eyes full of tears. That sent another pang through Jack's heart. _She shouldn't be like this. It's not right...or fair._

"Because I was. I lost my dad...when I was just a kid. And now my mother and sister are gone. But I have the Guardians now. They're my family. And..."

He hesitated, but then he locked his gaze with Lifa. "Now you have me and Bunny."

That did it. She started sobbing all over again, and buried her face in his shirt. All Jack could do was hug her, and quietly say things like, "you're okay, I got you, everything's okay..." until she eventually stopped crying so hard. The sobs ebbed away into hiccups, and she shivered.

"I'm sorry, are you cold?" Jack panicked a little, and began to pull away from her. But Lifa shook her head, and kept her arms locked around his waist. She didn't say anything. Lifa wasn't good at vocalizing what she felt. But Jack understood, and he was okay with it. She wanted him to stay, to not leave her alone. So he did. He sat there, hugging her in silence, until the sun went down.

As always, the second it dipped below the horizon, Lifa was asleep. Jack smiled, and picked her up bridal style. She was lightweight, and it wasn't hard. After that, he let the wind pick them both up, and carried her home.

* * *

Jack carried Lifa back into the Warren. She was fast asleep, her head resting against his shoulder, and one arm thrown over his neck, her other hand's finger curled in the fabric of his hoody.

Bunny abandoned the egglets and ran over. "Crikey, what happened?!"

"Shh," Jack shushed, "Don't wake her up. She's just drained. It's been a tough day for her."

Bunny frowned, following Jack as he carried Lifa back to her room, and tucked her into her bed. "S'she gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," Jack smiled, looking down at her. She was sleeping peacefully enough, and was already clutching her small, worn dragon toy to her chest. It was a baby's stuffed animal, home made. Where did she get it, anyway? But she was contentedly cradling it, as if it reassured her.

Reassurance. She needed that so much, all the time. He could have taken less time to realize it...He regretted that so much now. He'd neglected the fact that Lifa might not be so rough-and-tough and self-reliant as she acted. She needed family. Well, now Jack knew that. He and Bunny were going to take on that role.

"She'll be just fine."


	7. Upcoming Stories

**Seasonal Ball- The seasonal spirits like to hold a ball to celebrate the start of their season. However, Jack has never been invited. Lifa used to be the "bell of the ball" before her memories were erased. Now that her memories have returned, and Jack is a Guardian, they can be both invited. Jack is hurt that the spring sprites didn't invite him when he first became a Guardian, and Lifa would rather not go at all, since she's afraid of having to act ladylike, and dress the part. Bunny, however, wants them to get out and be social to the other spirits. Worst of all? Cupid will be at the party, and he's got plans for Jack and Lifa. Let's hope the two teenagers are light enough on their feet to dodge some arrows! And Tooth trying to help Lifa with her feminine side, and limiting Lifa's alcohol consumption at the party. (will be split into several parts)**

**Graveyard- Jack is having a great day in Burgess, having an all-out snowball war with Lifa, Jamie and Jamie's friends when they make it up a hill in the woods not far from the lake, and come to a very old cemetery. Jack notices a family plot named "Overland" and freezes up on the spot. Lifa and the others witness Jack's breakdown, and cope with it.**

**Claustrophobia- Jack and Lifa are racing about the workshop, causing trouble, when Lifa pushes Jack and Jack falls and destroys some toys and his staff is almost crushed by falling projects. Jack becomes so angry that he literally puts Lifa in a time out. Where? In a chest of stuffed-animal making supplies, and locks her inside, thinking it would be funny. It does not turn out remotely how he expects.**

**Appetites- Bunny and the other Guardians notice the massive difference between Jack and Lifa's eating habits. Jack barely eats at all, and gets uncomfortable when anyone points out how skinny he is. Lifa seems to be always hungry, and is constantly having a snack on hand, usually a large apple or box of pocky. At first, it doesn't seem like something serious. But then Jack and Lifa are forced to realize how different their childhoods were, and how much more privileged one was than the other. It may very well leave some holes in their friendship. Can Lifa swallow her arrogance and earn Jack's forgiveness? (story idea credit goes to Magiccatprincess)**

**Battle scars- Jack comes to Lifa's newly rebuilt house one day when she's in the middle of training. Lifa's training outfit consists of shorter sleeves and shorter pant legs than her usual clothes. She doesn't think it's a big deal that she has so many scars. Jack, however, demands an explanation and Lifa becomes uncomfortable with Jack poking and prodding at old war stories she might not want to talk about.**

***Mistletoe- Part of the Christmas collection! Christmas collection stories will be marked with a *. North decides to play a prank of his own, and Tooth jumps in, enthusiastic about the idea. They spend the Christmas week trying to catch Jack or Lifa under the mistle toe with each other. They succeed, but the spirit caught under the mistletoe isn't caught with the other individual they intended. This is a happy story!**

**Thunderstorms- Lifa hates storms. They block out the sun, and keep her awake at night for some strange reason. Jack finds out she's also afraid of thunder, and Lifa finds out Jack is afraid of lightning. They spend a long night together in the Warren during an April storm. Time frame takes place during Lifa and Jack's days at the Warren before Easter in Pitch's Old Comrade.**

**Fever- Lifa is attacked by some stray Fearlings without anyone else there, but defeats them easily. However, she suffers a fall from the sky that injures her. She doesn't let on for days about it until Jack accidentally hurts her during a snowball fight, and they find out. Not only that, but she overworks herself going to great measures not to burden the other two, and falls ill with a horrible fever. Jack and Bunny are at a loss of what to do.**

**Working Song- Lifa is helping North in the workshop, and gets sidetracked building. North leaves her to it, since she loves inventing. Jack comes to check on her, and is pleasantly surprised when she's singing while she works, and stays to listen to her sing a tune to her tinkering work. Without telling her he's there, of course.**

**War Buddies- Lifa and Bunny look back on the good old days after a battle, and swap stories over a few bottles of beer. (yes, Lifa drinks. Bunny does too, on occasion.) And they also talk about Jack.**

**TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK, AND MORE REQUESTS ARE WELCOMED.**

**And one more thing- Bunny and Lifa don't always share a "father daughter" relationship. Actually, they're more like best friends. War buddies suits their relationship best. Swap stories, have a few drinks, taunt each other over a few screw ups, give each other advice and the like.**


	8. Kids Again part 3

Tooth knew she shouldn't be as thrilled as she was at the moment, but she was absolutely overjoyed to be chosen to take care of little Jack and Lifa.

Yes, they were Guardians, and this could very well turn into a disaster. Also, North should be in a ton of trouble. But they were just so..._adorable. _Round faces, big eyes, and they were so tiny that she could literally scoop them both up in a hug easily. She almost wished they could stay that way.

It would have been perfect, if Jack hadn't started asking where his Momma and Papa were, and Lifa hadn't started tearing up at the window sill when her "Toothless" wasn't showing up.

* * *

Earlier that day-

"Alright. Here's the first ground rule- We can NOT mention their parents. No matter what. Don't even lie about it. Especially not Jack's father. Just don't do it," Bunny ordered.

North, Tooth and Bunny were standing in North's office, having left the two kids with the yeti's. Tooth frowned. "What happened to Jack's father...?"

"Not my story to tell. All I can say is that he lost his father when he was, what...eleven years old? And it was probably one of the worst days of the kid's life. He's too young now to have those memories. Just leave it alone."

Tooth and North nodded solemnly. "And Lifa?" North asked. "She was talking about a...dragon. And by the sound of it, the thing must follow her everywhere. If it is not here..."

"Let's just hope she's a little less..._self reliant." _Tooth stated. Lifa had the terrible habit of taking matters into her own hands."How long until you can change them back, North?"

North pondered this for a moment. "With Bunny's medical expertise, about...two to three days. At most."

Bunny groaned. Four days of tiny Jack and Lifa. He was despairing already. Tooth, however, barely suppressed a smile. "And I can look after them the entire time?" she was practically shivering with glee.

"Yes." North and Bunny answered in unison, exchanging _oh-boy-here-we-go _looks.

Tooth chirped out a quick, "Yay!" And flitted out of the room, anxious to get back to the children.

* * *

Lifa hugged her knees to her chin, cradling her dragon toy and sniffled quietly. "I'm sure he's coming," Jack said, sitting down next to her. Lifa shook her head, pouting. "He always comes sooner than this! What if it's too cold for him?"

"Then your papa will give him something to wear. You said he's good at making things." Jack said stubbornly. "Where did you get that toy?"

"My Daddy gave it to him. His Mommy made it for him when he was really little. What's your Daddy like?" Lifa tore her golden brown-green-flecked eyes from the window to look at Jack. Her eyes weren't gold anymore. A warm brown, flecked and hinted with forest greens. Just as beautiful as her sunny gold eyes.

"He's reeeally tall," Jack began, stretching his short arms over his head, "And has brown hair like me. He really loves me and Momma. He always plays the fiddle before I go to sleep, and tells me the best stories. I love him," Jack added at the end, "And Momma does, too. Momma is having a baby soon."

Lifa smiled wide, "Do you want a brother or sister?"

"I don't know," Jack smiled back. "Hey, what's your best friend like?"

"He's a dragon, and the only Night Fury on Berk! He's big, and black, and has big green eyes," She curled her fingers like claws, "And he's really scary, and will eat anyone who's mean to me! But he's actually really sweet, too. I'm never lonely if he's around."

"Are you lonely now?" Jack asked without thinking.

Lifa looked out the window again, and once again, not seeing her best friend in the sky, teared up again. Her lip trembled and she started crying. Jack panicked, and patted her back as she hiccuped and sobbed."I'm sorry, I'm really sorry! Please don't cry..."

* * *

Tooth gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, and blinked back tears. She'd just gotten to the door when she heard Lifa talking about her best friend, Jack ask that horrid question and then the little girl bursting into tears. Tooth pushed open the door silently, and flew across the room just as quietly.

"Come here, sweetie." she said softly, pulling Lifa into a hug. Lifa didn't know what else to do. She just did what any six year old girl would do when her mother wasn't around, and there was a nice lady trying to help her. Lifa simply locked her small arms around Tooth and cried. Jack looked around awkwardly.

Eventually, Lifa stopped crying. Tooth blinked. It was darker in the room. She gazed outside, and saw the sun was down. _Oh. _Tooth smiled, cradling the tiny, sleeping girl. "Hey, Jack, do you want to help me with something? It'll be fun." she whispered. Jack's face lit up, and he nodded.

"Okay, we're going to..." she explained to Jack what they were going to do, and Jack immediately ran off to gather what Tooth asked for.

Jack came back with blankets, and knocked the couch cushions off the couch, and pushed chairs across the room, building a fort, and grinning the entire time.

Once the fort was built, Jack and Tooth sat inside together, while Lifa slept on an extra couch cushion, her head resting in Tooth's lap, and cradling her dragon toy against her chest, fast asleep. Tooth was telling Jack the story about Eddy the Elf who loved getting into Bunny's paint rivers and becoming a rainbow elf. Jack giggled loudly, but covered his hands with his mouth when Tooth shushed him, and pointed at Lifa. They both smiled. Story telling and a fort. What could be a better way to spend the night?

* * *

When Bunny came into the room to check on them, he felt nothing but dread when he saw a misshapen mass of pillows and blankets and chairs. He knelt down, took a deep breath and dared to lift the corner of a blanket.

What he saw practically melted the old rabbit's heart. Tooth was sitting back against the pillows, Jack and Lifa curled up next to each other, asleep. Jack had one hand curled in Lifa's hair, having been fascinated by the pretty, honey colored curls. Lifa was snuggled close to him, and Tooth was smiling sleepily down at them both.

"I see you handled it well," Bunny commented. Tooth looked up.

"They are so sweet," She said quietly. "I wish they could stay this way."

"You know they can't," Bunny sighed, crawling into the fort, flattening his ears to fit. He barely fit. "As much as I like it, they wouldn't be able too. They need their real parents, Tooth. We're not them."

Tooth looked a little hurt, but didn't argue. "I know. Lifa cried earlier. Jack said...I quote him, "My Momma is having a baby soon". That would be Jack's little sister on the way, in his mind. But she's already long gone, Bunny...they have to turn back."

"Yeah. But let's just enjoy this while we can." Bunny smile down at the two kids. Who knew Lifa was a cuddlebug? She was pressing as close to Jack as she could, tucking her face into his shirt. Jack didn't seem to mind.

Bunny wished they could stay this way forever, too.


	9. Seasonal Ball Part 1

Lifa stood in front of her wardrobe in her house, frowning. She had an incredible selection of clothes but...Dresses? Yeah, sure, three of them and they were _sundresses _for warm weather! Nothing ball worthy. She hardly saw the point of wearing them, and the skirt just made it more difficult to train for battle. Not that Lifa had a problem with being, well, girly, but...it just didn't come naturally to her, "dolling up" or anything along those lines. Her wardrobe consisted mostly of different types of armor, boots, and well-worn, sturdy clothes and jeans. Lifa grimaced, and slammed the wardrobe shut. Hopeless.

She'd said it a million times before, (quoting her father) and she'll say it again.

"The gods _hate _me!"

* * *

Jack examined the spring-green envelope as he landed in the Warren. "Hey, Bunny, did you get one of these?" he called.

Bunny lifted his head. He was reading a pale yellow paper. "Yeah, I'm readin' it now. Glad to see you got yours."

"What is it?"

"You don't know? It's an invitation, ya gumby. To a ball. The Spring Celebration."

Jack choked, "A _ball? _What, like, Cinderella type? The dancing and everything?"

"Yes, lots of dancing. Also music and food and drinking. And NO, before ya ask, ya can't drink, Jack." Bunny added, earning himself an abashed looking Jack who mumbled, "fine".

"Is this a new thing?" Jack asked.

Bunny looked at him, confused, "No. It's very old. Haven't you heard of it before, Frost?"

"Guess I wasn't wanted," Jack muttered too quietly for Bunny to hear.

"ASTER! JACKSON! It is so good to see you!" a cheery voice echoed across the Warren. Jack didn't recognize it, and turned to Bunny, only to see him muttering, "Oh, Manny give me strength..."

Jack turned to see a young man strolling towards them, wearing a white Roman style tunic, gold sandals, and a pale pink toga-like sash over his shoulder. Of course, there were angelic wings, and the quiver of arrows and the bow. He had a youthful face, attractive, with strawberry blond curls and eyes that were a pale violet color.

"Uhh...Cupid?" Jack guessed. Bunny was edging away, muttering about wanting nothing to do with match making.

"That's right!" Cupid confirmed cheerily. "I came to congratulate you on being invited, Jack, and your lovely friend, too."

"Who?"

"Why, The Sun Guardian, of course! That beautiful young lady companion of yours," Cupid winked, and Jack found himself stepping back, following Bunny's lead.

"You mean Lifa...look, I don't think you understand...we're just FRIENDS!" Jack stated desperately. Bunny was snickering now, and saying, "Yeah...Sunshine is out of his league."

Jack shot a glare at Bunny, while Cupid laughed good naturedly. "Oh, I think that may change...I'll see you at the Spring Celebration!"

As Cupid left, Jack sat down, feeling breathless. "Did he just...hint he's going to hit Lifa and I with arrows?"

"Yep. G'luck, mate." Bunny laughed as Jack groaned in despair.

* * *

Lifa stepped into the Tooth Palace, and smiled as the fairies rushed to greet her, twittering excitedly. The squeaked louder when she smiled, showing her teeth that were just as good as Jack's. "Hi, girls. Is Toothiana home?"

"Over here, sweetie!" Tooth called from the higher level overhead. There were no stairs, since everyone in the palace could fly, but Lifa had no problem climbing up like a monkey over the rails and walls, and landing next to Tooth, who was sorting teeth.

"Umm...so...Spring Celebration, huh?" Lifa ventured, twisting the fur on her vest. "You goin'?"

"Mmhm! Are you?"

"Yeah...uhh...can you help me?"

"With what, honey?" Tooth turned around.

"I...I have a...problem." Lifa stared at the floor, hoping Tooth can't see her face burning red.

"Well, I'm happy to help. What is it?"

"...a dress. For the party...and basically, what to do, say, what'll happen...Okay, in general, Tooth, I have no concept of elegance! You obviously do, hell, you're the definition of grace! Help me!" Lifa pleaded.

"Lifa, I don't know what you're so worried about. You're a beautiful girl. Of course I'll help you. Maybe Jed the Yeti can sew you something. He sews practically everything in the workshop." Tooth suggested, laying a hand on Lifa's shoulder.

"Beautiful...right..." Lifa smirked empty heartedly. Tooth's face took on a worried expression, "Sweetie, you are. You really are. Don't ever say something doubtful like that again."

"Tooth, I really don't-"

Tooth held up her hands in a stop gesture, "I won't hear it! Come on. Let's get you ready."

Before Lifa could respond, Tooth flew off to the Pole. Lifa barely formed her wings in time to keep up with her.

**A/N Alright, I plan on drawing Lifa's party outfit after doing some online-picture scrolling for inspiration. Jack's outfit? I shall base off a tumblr blog. Winter Prince and all that. No, I will not make Jack wear shoes. I don't think he can even walk in them.**

**Enjoy Lifa and Jack's anxiety! **

**(and btw, yes, Cupid is supposed to be incredibly attractive. He is. hehehe)**


	10. Graveyards

Lifa grinned at Jamie, who grinned back at her. He was almost thirteen now.

Lifa was wearing her red cloak and fur vest, and green striped gloves Tooth had made her wear, along with a knit hat that was white, red, blue, purple and yellow striped. Lifa had told him, "I'm not wearing them because I want to, I'm wearing them because Mum made me."

Jack kept poking the yellow pompom on the top of the hat and laughing at her, earning a scowl and a punch in the shoulder.

Now, they were in the woods having an all out war of snowballs. Lifa had teamed up with Jamie against Jack, saying it was fair odds against him, Jack being the snowball fight master and all. Now she and Jamie were crouching in a tree, snowballs stashed in a forked branch and waiting for Jack to come along searching for them.

Lifa shushed Jamie unnecessarily all of a sudden, and handed him two snowballs. Sure enough, the familiar figure clad in a blue hoody and brown trousers wandered stealthily through the snow. His hoody pocket bulged with a stash of snow balls, and a couple more rested in his hood.

Jamie held up a few fingers, and began counting down from four.

Three...

Jack looked at his staff.

Two...

He held it out towards the tree. _What is he doing? _Jamie thought.

Three...

Jack tapped the crook against the trunk of their tree.

Fou-

_FWOOSH!_

An excessive amount of snow fell from the branches above them and landed on their heads, knocking them from their perches. Lifa shouted, "Aw, SHIT!" and then landed on the ground at Jack's feet.

Jack cackled, "I admit it! That was a good try! Hiding in a tr- WHOA!"

Jamie covered his mouth to hide his snicker when Lifa rolled over onto her stomach, putting her hands on the ground to balance herself and then kicked Jack's feet out from under him. Her agility was incredible.

Lifa promptly began burying Jack in the snow, "Jamie, hold him down!" she shouted. Jamie tackled Jack and held him down by his shoulders. Jack struggled and tried to get up, laughing but protesting.

"Guys, come on, let's talk about this. You're gonna smother me! JAMIE, WHEN DID YOU GET SO STRONG?!" he gasped, trying to throw the kid off him.

"Done." Lifa stepped back, having successfully buried Jack's entire body. "No, wait," she kicked snow over his face. "Now he's quieter."

Jamie laughed, "You're so mean to him."

"She is! She is mean!" Jack shook snow out of his face, and gave Lifa the hurt-puppy eyes look.

"Alright, alright. The fight continues in five minutes. I'm bringing out my crossbow this time. I tweaked in a little to hold snow balls."

"Awesome!" Jamie exclaimed at the same time Jack muttered, "God help me..."

"But, I'll give you a headstart," she added, smiling.

Jack was on his feet in a second, "I'll take it!" he grinned, and took off flying in the other direction that minute. Jamie shook his head, chuckling, "I think you intimidate him."

"I intimidate everyone."

"You don't intimidate me," Jamie countered, looking up at her. He was nearly Lifa's height now, about five feet and an inch.

"Oh? And why is that?" she asked, kneeling down to start building a new stash of ammo.

"You're..well..." Jamie leaned from foot to foot, and suddenly became very grateful the cold made his cheeks already red. "You're cute."

_"What?!"_

"You are! Adorable! Everyone thinks so. Jack, Bunny, Tooth, and Sophie says you sneeze like a kitty."

"I do _not!" _Lifa cried indignantly. "I am ferocious, a WARRIOR!"

"A warrior who sneezes like a kitten." Jamie tried not to laugh when Lifa shouted, "ARGHH!" and threw her hands up in frustration.

"Hey, Where's Jack?" she asked suddenly. "Wouldn't he normally be back to retaliate?"

"Yeah, now that I think about it..." Jamie frowned, and began walking in the direction Jack had flown off. Lifa ran in front of him, "What are you doing?"

"Going to find Jack." Jamie answered, passing her. Lifa raised her eyebrows, and then shrugged, following. They walked for a very long time, and went farther and farther into the woods. Suddenly, Jamie stopped at the bottom of the hill. "I...I don't want to go up there."

"Why not?" Lifa frowned.

"There's a really old cemetery up there, and it creeps me out to no end. Everyone says it's haunted."

Lifa looked at him, "By who?"

Jamie began telling the story, "Well, the lake where Jack hangs out is where this boy drowned a few hundred years ago, when Burgess was first made a town. He saved his sister from drowning, the legend says, but if they hadn't been so careless not to check if the ice was thick enough, neither of them would've died. The boy's body was never taken out of the lake, and the Preacher in the town refused to give him a funeral, because he said he was a fool, a trouble maker and there wasn't a body, anyway. The Preacher told his mother and sister he was going to hell. The legend says the Preacher fell through the ice, sleep walking and drowned. The drowned boy haunts the cemetery, looking for his grave and never finding it. There's another version of the story that says he drowns kids who walk onto the ice without checking to see if it's safe. He drags them under the water as punishment for being foolish."

Lifa stared at him in horror. "J-J-Jamie thats...Not...Oh, dear to Thor, no..."

Jamie cocked his head at her, "It's just some ghost story parents tell their kids so they don't go on the ice. It's not true or anything," he said.

"Right...right...just a story." she mumbled. "Wait here, okay?"

As Lifa ran up the hill, Jamie stood there completely bewildered.

* * *

Jack had planned on flying right past the cemetery in the first place. But he had keen eyes, and he glanced at the graves.

Then he caught the name "Overland" at the family plot. His stomach flipflopped and he landed in the cemetery, clutching his staff to his chest and taking slow, shaky steps into the plot.

Scrunching his eyes closed, he stood there that way for a long time, trying to summon the will to read the stones.

* * *

Lifa wandered into the cemetery, taking off her hat and twisting the knit fabric anxiously. At first, she didn't see him. But then she spotted the familiar royal blue and was about to call out, but stopped. Jack was trembling, clutching his staff against his chest like a security blanket. He only did that when he was terrified. Lifa stepped through the gate silently. The cemetery really was old. Most of the dates were from the seventeen hundreds to the eighteen hundreds.

Finally, she lay her hand on Jack's shoulder gently, "Jack...?"

Jack flinched away and actually cried out in shock, pulling away from her. But then he saw her looking at him with worried, goldenrod eyes and he relaxed, and then returned to being silent.

"Jack? Tell me what's wrong."

He shook his head. "M'fine..."

"Liar."

"Pest."

"Jackson!" Lifa crossed her arms.

Jack flinched at his full name."Please...don't call me that..."

"Why?"

"Because...Jackson...means son of Jack. My father's name was Jack...and he's gone. I'm no one's son anymore. Jackson isn't my name." he sideglanced at her. "Just Jack."

"My father is gone too, but I'm still Hiccup the Fourth."

"That's a title. Not a name." he muttered, sitting down where he was. Lifa plunked down next to him. Jack kept staring at the ground. She scooted closer to him, until their shoulders were touching and murmured, "Whenever you're ready, Jack."

That would be a while.

* * *

Jamie groaned. He really didn't want to go into that cemetery. The ghost story really creeped him out! Some dead boy wandering around because no one gave him a funeral or a grave? Some kid who was supposed to go to Hell? No thanks, he was fine without that.

But Jack and Lifa were in there, and what kind of friend was he to back out on them?

Jamie began trudging up the hill into the cemetery.

* * *

Jack finally glanced up at the gravestones. His facial expression turned to horror and grief, and Lifa instinctively took his hand in hers. The first stone read,

_Jack Thomas Overland 1697-1735 _

_Beloved Father and Husband_

_God Rest his soul._

"I spent...so many hours sitting here..." Jack began, but his voice cracked, and he went silent as he read the next one.

_Mairead Hannah Delaney-Overland 1699-1748_

_Caring mother and loved by many_

_Rest in Peace_

Jack stared at the stone in between them, and the empty space on it's right, where his own should have been.

"Em...Emma...Emma Mary..." he choked out. "Sh-she died...she was a mother...Lifa, read it! She was a mom, she had kids! I could have been an uncle, a-and-"

"I see, Jack." she said softly, looking at him worriedly.

Jack stared at the graves, not knowing what to say. His mother, father, sister, his nieces and nephew...Were all laying in coffins right beneath him.

It became to much. Lifa looked at him again, and nearly gasped out loud to see tears frozen midway down Jack's face. Some of them fell, in perfect little frozen pearl shaped tears. Saddeningly beautiful. She had never seen him cry. Ever, not once. He was like an anchor, sturdy and strong and kept everyone rooted in place. She cried on his shoulder when her returning memories got too overwhelming.

Maybe she owed him for it. Lifa pulled Jack in a hug, and he stiffened. He was ashamed to be crying in front of her, but when she hugged him tightly and murmured, "It's okay to cry, Jack. It's your family." and ran her hand over his hair comfortingly, lovingly...He began to openly sob into her shirt.

* * *

Jamie walked quietly into the cemetery, and began to call out for his two friends, until he heard it. Someone crying. And not just regular, nonsense tears. Heart broken, chest racking sobs. Jamie peeked out from a behind mausoleum, and was shocked to see Lifa holding Jack as he cried. Jack was blubbering out hysterically, "I d-di-didn't check the ice, a-and it's m-my f-fa-fault...Emma was so sc-scared and I saved her! I did! B-but I fell...Where's MY grave?!"

Jamie began to creep forward. This sounded awfully familiar.

"I drowned, I dr-drowned and n-no one...no one went t-to get me out o-of the l-la-lake!" he choked. Lifa simply rocked him back and forth, trying to soothe him, but it didn't work. Jamie was terrified. He'd never seen Jack sad, ever. He was always laughing, and smiling contagiously. But now...now he was a shattered wreck.

"Jack, maybe...maybe no one LET your mother and sister give you a grave. Isn't that a Preacher's decision?" Lifa asked suddenly.

Jack sniffled, and mumbled, "Wh-what...? Yeah...it is..."

"Well, if it was your family's decision, they would've given you SOMETHING. But...Look, over there. Jackson Matthew Fletcher! Emma's son. She named him after you!" Lifa pushed Jack off of her and turned him around to look.

Jack blinked his bloodshot, teary eyes and stared. "You're right...she did."

"They had good lives, Jack. Your little sister...She fell in love, married a man and had children she must have loved so much. Your mother got grandchildren to love, too. She didn't lack in family." Lifa went on, as Jamie walked silently forward, listening and wondering...was Jack a ghost?!_  
_

"They loved you. And now you have a new life, as a Guardian of children! Your parents would be proud, not unhappy."

Jack began to cry all over again, but nodded. He cried because his family was gone, he cried because he didn't get to see his sister and her children grow up, he cried because of his lost life.

Lifa turned around suddenly, "Jamie, how much of this did you hear?"

Jack spun around, "JAMIE?!"

Before Jack could ask any questions, Jamie locked his arms around Jack's waist, and hugged him tightly. "You're a hero!"

"What?"

"You died to save your little sister, that makes you a hero and the best big brother in the world." Jamie stated as-a-matter-of-factly. Jack numbly hugged Jamie back. "Y-yeah..." he mumbled.

"The kiddo's right." Lifa smiled, joining in the hug from behind Jamie, sandwiching the kid between them both. Jack couldn't respond. It was such an eventful day. Jack just sighed and hugged them both a little tighter, and planted a quick kiss on the top of Lifa's head, that Jamie wouldn't see. Jamie wasn't really aware of their...blooming relationship. "Thanks, you guys. I dunno what'd I do without you,"

"Are you kidding?" Jamie laughed. Lifa jumped in, "You'd be hopeless without is watchin' your back!"

"Well, then!" Jack huffed, "I love you, too!"

All three of them laughed, and broke the hug. "By the way, the snowball war isn't over. Jack, your headstart is over." Lifa grinned. "And now it's every man for himself! And girl," she added. Jack and Jamie exchanged looks as Lifa pulled snowballs from the mysteriously invisible pockets of her cloak.

Both boys took off running. None of them wanted to get nailed by a snowball thrown by an expert archer and knife throwing warrior.

**End. I was lazy with this. It's two in the morning.**


	11. Kids Again Part 4

Breakfast was the first thing on Lifa's mind as soon as the little girl woke up. She hadn't been able to open the door, so now she was shaking Tooth awake. "Wakey wakey! Hey!"

Tooth blinked open her orchid colored eyes and yawned, "Hmm? What is it, sweetheart?" she sat up. They were all still camped out in the pillow and blanket fort. At some point in the middle of the night, Jack had decided to cuddle up next to Bunny, who was now cradling him contentedly. Although, Jack probably did it because he's soft and furry like a giant teddy bear. Tooth's heart ached a little. She'd seen some of Bunny's memories, with his permission, some centuries ago. Jack was laying on top of Bunny's chest, his arms loosely thrown around his neck. Bunny had his arms wrapped protectively around the kid.

She could remember a memory of Bunny's son being very much the same way, after a nightmare or refusal to let go of his father when being carried home after a long day. The sight of Bunny reacting the same way to Jack as he would to his son curling up next to him both warmed her heart and made it ache.

Lifa tugged on her hand, "M'hungry!" she pouted. Tooth smiled.

"Isn't it a bit early to be up?"

"No. Toothless wakes us up this early everyday."

"How...?"

Lifa jumped up and down, "He jumps up and down on the roof until Daddy goes outside to take him flying."

"I see..." Tooth did NOT see. This "dragon" named Toothless was beginning to sound like an attention demanding cat. She picked up Lifa, and the little girl wrapped her arms around her neck to feel secure. "Let's take you to the kitchen, then." she chirped.

* * *

Lifa did eat, really. Eggs and pancakes and bacon and sausages. Apparently, even as a little girl, she had about four stomachs. And the food she DIDN'T eat, she used as ammunition again the elves. Tooth had left for five minutes and came back to an all out food war. Lifa had climbed up on the counter tops to try and get above the elves' chaos. Considering their arms were five inches long, they could only throw so high and far.

"Lifa! Get down from there now!" Tooth cried, flying over the elves and snatching the six year old off the counter top. "Do you want to fall and crack your head open?!"

"No, I do-" Lifa stopped talking and coughed. Tooth shot a glare at the elves that told them _clean this mess up or I'll pitch you off a cliff _and then she turned and left the kitchen.

She set Lifa down on the floor, until she stopped coughing. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Lifa blinked tiredly, "Don't feel good..."

Tooth felt her forehead. She was a little too warm. This happened pretty fast. "Well, maybe you should lay down."

"But I'm not tired," she whined as Tooth picked her up. Man in Moon, she was so tiny. Tooth turned around to see Jack and Bunny coming down the hall. Jack had hitched a ride on Bunny's shoulders and was eating a muffin Bunny had probably snatched from a baked-goods plate the elves had been bringing to North. Jack looked at them from between Bunny's ears, and mumbled, "Kangaroo, I can't see past your ears!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Move them!"

Bunny flattened his ears, and Jack smiled, but then they stood up straight again and Jack shouted an indignant, "HEY!" that earned a goodnatured chuckle from Bunny. "Morning, Tooth."

Bunny's smile dissolved when he heard the weak coughs and saw Tooth's worried face. "Did something happen?" he asked, shaking his head irritably as Jack tried to push his ears out of the way. No rabbit liked having their ears touched. In fact, it was a little painful. Yanking on a rabbit's ear was INCREDIBLY painful.

"I think she's coming down with a fever...I'm going to put her down to sleep again." Tooth replied, cradling Lifa as the little coughed and struggled to breathe properly.

"You do that. I'm gonna feed Jackie here some real food, not some sugary muffin and come check on you both."

As Tooth went off to look after Lifa, Bunny set Jack on the floor. The kid immediately bolted into the kitchen.

And got hit in the face with a grapefruit. Bunny ran into the kitchen after him, and stopped in shock. The elves were having an all-out food war. Bunny shook his had, and knelt down in front of Jack, who'd been knocked over by the projectile, and was rubbed his nose and whimpering. "Owww..."

"Alright, kiddo, lemme see. Show me yer nose." Bunny grunted, pulling the kid's hands away from his face.

_Crap._

His nose was bleeding. Not broken, but still, Bunny turned to an elf and snapped, "Go get me a towel." and then turned back to the eight year old in front of him. Jack wiped his nose, and Bunny protested, "Jackie, I don't think you should-"

Jack's eyes went wide as saucers at the sight of his own blood. Bunny took the rag the elf brought him and held it to Jack's nose, "It's okay, kiddo. You're not hurt, it'll stop in a minute..." he tried to keep the kid calm but Jack was already building up tears. He was a little kid, after all. He just got hit in the face, it hurt, he fell over and that probably hurt too, and now his nose was bleeding, and blood was just scary to a kid, without question.

"See? The bleeding is already over." Bunny wiped Jack's face clean and tossed the rag away. "You're ok-"

Jack began to cry, mumbling nonsense and setting up a high pitched wail. Bunny picked him up, sighing. It was just a small tantrum. Jack clung to him, crying, "Elves are mean!"

"No, they're just stupid."

"Mean," the kid insisted, as Bunny carried him outside.

Things weren't going as smoothly as they all hoped.

* * *

Tooth tucked Lifa back into the bed of the spare bedroom, and felt her forehead again. She wasn't any better. How did she get sick so quickly?

Lifa coughed again and her breath came out in a ragged gasp. Tooth frowned. She should be having this much trouble breathing. "S'okay, sweetie...deep breaths. You'll feel better soon." Tooth cooed softly, as Bunny walked inside, carrying a sniffling Jack with a red nose.

"What happened to you two?" she asked, frowning.

"Jack got hit in the face by a grapefruit. Elves weren't watchin' what they were doing."

"Mean," Jack mumbled.

"Aww, is he okay?"

"He's fine, just miffed." Bunny assured her, setting Jack back down on the floor. Jack crossed his arms and pouted. "How's Sunshine?"

"She's having a lot of trouble breathing." Tooth turned back to Lifa. "And I mean, barely able to."

Bunny walked over and looked at the little girl for a minute, his ears twitching as he listened to her breathe. Jack wandered over and peeked over the edge of the bed. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's just sick, Sweet Tooth. She'll be okay." Tooth knelt down next to him, hugging the boy.

Bunny sighed, "Tooth, I think she has asthma. She probably wasn't medicated for it when she was human. Vikings and all...asthma wasn't a diagnosis back then."

"What do we do?"

"Well, we can't medicate her, we don't know how her body will react to the steroids in the treatment. She's too young to breathe those in."

"So...?"

"We make her comfortable, keep a very close watch on her and hope North finishes the cure for these two before she gets worse."

"She can get WORSE?!"

"It's asthma, Tooth. And she's a small kid. With kids like her, it can always get worse." Bunny muttered grimly. Jack clung to Tooth, "Is she gonna be okay?!"

Bunny knelt down and took Jack from Tooth, hugging him, "Course she is, Jackie. She's a tough cookie. When she's better, you two can...can help me out with Easter eggs. Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah!" Jack's smile immediately returned and he hugged Bunny back. Bunny looked at Tooth and they both shared the same thought.

If North did hurry up and fix this, Lifa might not make it.

* * *

**A/N Ehh I kinda had to do this due to character traits. Lifa, as a human, was born premature and was sickly as a child. Physical exertion often lead to her catching chills or fevers from exhaustion, and asthma attacks. ****As a little kid, she was hardly able to leave the house. Toothless mostly carried her everywhere, until she got stronger. **

**Man, this was supposed to be cute and happy. Now it's turning to crappy angst. fdshgljsgfhl**


	12. Thunderstorms

**Takes place whenever you want, this is dedicated to FrostBurn shippers, requested by a tumblr buddy. I cranked this out within a half hour, but I'm soo tired but I really wanted to update for you guys. I'm sorry if it's crappy.**

**Seasonal Ball is gonna be updated soon, and I think I found Lifa's dress, which I will post on my deviantart soon with Jack's outfit. Anywho, here ya go. Allonsy!**

**Enjoy the fluff!**

Lifa hated thunder. She always had, even though she wasn't a child (in her retrospect) anymore. But still, the shockingly loud, concussive noise always made her jump and want to hide under the bed.

But now, thunder also made her sad. When she hid under the bed as a human, it wasn't more than ten minutes after the first clap of thunder that her father came into her room and coaxed her out from her hiding place, with the promise of a protective hug and not having to wait out the storm alone.

And of course, that was gone.

So, she kept to cold places, where the only storms were blizzards, and it was too cold for thunder. But then she had to stay in the Warren, with Jack. Jack had pleaded her to come with him to help with Easter Preparations once again, and with him pouting and giving her big, imploring cerulean blue eyes like a baby Arctic seal, she couldn't say no. And then when she'd said yes, he'd immediately cheered and bear hugged her.

_Damn it, Frost. Stop being an adorable dumb ass!_

One of these days, the big-baby-seal eyes are NOT going to prevail. But today is not that day.

* * *

"BUNNY! WE'RE HERE!"

Jack shouted in announcement as they arrived at the Warren. Although, it was quite a sight. Jack insisted they try camping out, because Jamie had gone camping with his friends and Jack couldn't come back it was too warm in Burgess. Lifa didn't like the idea, but Jamie really didn't want Jack to feel left out, and that kid was downright adorable, in her opinion, and she wasn't even a big fan of kids. So, she'd decided not to shut down the idea.

"You don't have to yell," she muttered irritably.

"Aw, don't be a grump."

"Don't be a jack ass."

"I'm not a jack ass- Oh, I see the pun you made there. Very funny." Jack gave her a _touche _look.

Lifa huffed, crossing her arms, "Well, you are a jack ass." she insisted, as Bunny came out from his burrow, yawning.

"You don't mean that, you love me." Jack shot back, smirking.

"...No..."

"Uh huh, then who's wearing my extra hoody?"

Lifa's cheeks turned red, and she tugged at the cuff of her sleeve nervously. Alright, yes, she was wearing a deep blue hoody that used to belong to Jack. He'd gotten into another scrap with a summer sprite, and she'd stitched it together for him _again. _Jack insisted that if she was always going to be fixing her hoody for him, it must be cursed when he wears it and gave it to her, and adopted a new one, that was identical except for the fact it zipped up the front.

Lifa refused to admit it, but she liked wearing the hoody. It smelled like him. Imagine stepping outside in the morning. It just snowed six inches over night, and everything smells clean, fresh and icy. That's what he smelled like, along with the distinct scent of pine needles.

_Stop thinking about that. _Lifa ordered herself. Jack was still laughing at her, and leaned forward, and jabbed her in the forehead. "Alright, I'm done teasing you. Here comes Bunny."

"Hey, kiddies. What's with the giant pack?" Bunny stopped in front of them, nodding to the big back Jack had on his shoulders. Tent, sleeping bags, and a compass- (_What, are we going on a mountain hike? _Lifa thought) and the like.

"We're camping out tonight!" Jack announced proudly. Lifa rolled her eyes, but smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Err-Okay...Why?" Bunny raised his eyebrows at him.

"Because Jamie said it was fun and I've never done it before, and as the Guardian of FUN, it's my sworn duty to assess this form of entertainment." Jack stated.

Lifa cupped her hand over her mouth to hide her snicker at Bunny's facial expression, which was the literal embodiment of _What the actual fuck, Jack?_

"Alright, but I'm not helping you set up the tent. Let Lifa do it, I think she's more capable. By the way, Sunburn. Are you wearing Frost's hoody?" Bunny's mouth twitched in a smile he was desperately trying to hold back.

"Piss off," she muttered, and Bunny laughed. Jack shot her an affectionate smile.

"M'just messin' with ya. The egglets are all ready to be painted." Bunny smiled, stepping aside. "Let's get started."

* * *

Several hours later, Lifa finally put down the paint brush and stretched her arms over her head, lacing her fingers together and cracking her knuckles in the process.

Jack cringed, "_Please _don't do that!"

"What? This?" she let her arms drop and popped the last two, her thumbs. Jack lunged forward and grabbed her hands, and growled, "_YES. _That."

"Hm, seems I found a new pet peeve of yours. I'll remember that."

"Lifa, I swear, popping your knuckles is the worst noise ever, and my mother always said you would get arthritis early and your fingers will swell up and-"

Lifa interrupted the lecture by pecking the tip of his nose with a quick kiss, "All those are myths." she stated as a matter-of-factly, and proceeded to pack up the painting supplies as Jack blushed a pale blue color and smiled like a dork.

Then Lifa caught the smell in the air. Heavy, and wet. She stood up, and cast a worried look at the sky. "Jack, I think it's going to-"

_Plop._

A big, fat raindrop landed smack dab on her nose, and she rubbed it away anxiously. "Jack, let's go to the Pole! Camp out there, in the workshop or-"

"What? The tent is water proof, you know." Jack frowned at her as the downpour of rain increased in an impressively small amount of seconds. Lifa pulled the hood of Jack's blue sweatshirt over her head, mumbling sarcastically, "Oh, thank the gods for that..."

"Something wrong?" Jack's eyebrows scrunched up, like they always did when he was worried.

"Peachy," she muttered.

* * *

Lifa sat back, under the shelter of a tree while Jack and Bunny battled over how to set up the tent. Finally, Bunny pulled out some magic and used some enchanted roots to put the tent up, and Jack scowled at him, while Bunny smirked. Bunny got a face full of frost as a reward. She smiled a little, watching them. Bunny went back to his burrow, grumbling about being soaked to the bone. Jack wasn't any less soaked. His silvery, white hair was plastered to his forehead and fat, slushy rain drops dripped off his face and nose, just above the point of being frozen solid.

"You'd better dry off, you'll get a fever." she called over.

Jack ran over, grinning. "No, I won't. I'm a walking ice pack!" he said. Then he sniffled loudly and scrunched up his nose, holding back a sneeze.

"Yeah, well, your nasal tissue is trying to heat up to warm up your body, and any heat in you is bad. You've still got human anatomy, and the same functions."

"You're a walking encyclopedia of weirdness." Jack shook his hair out, sending slushy water everywhere.

Lifa raised her arms in defense, "You're soaking me, ya idjit!"

Jack laughed, and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. "Come on, let's go get inside the tent." he chirped.

A few minutes later, they were in the tent, snuggled up in blankets and pillows, with an electric lantern, books, and Lifa's portable laptop that was actually the most impressive piece of tech Jack had ever seen. Universal wifi, any app, invincible to viruses, can hack any data base, and it can reconstruct it's shape from a full desk computer, to a tiny phone. It can ever generate things from inside it. Mostly currency, credit cards, microchips, and the like. Only Lifa knew how to work the thing, and only she could. Why? Because she'd built it, and the keys and commands were coded to her finger prints. Anyone else tried to touch the keys and use the tech either got an electric shock rendering them unconscious or the thing just shut down and a little cartoon video taunted them, like a HAHAHA NO face or something like that.

Placing the D.V.D Spirited Away in the slot, they both sat back in the pillows together as the movie started. Lifa never got tired of watching it and Jack didn't, either. Also, she was most relaxed watching her favorite movies. She would lay against his chest and hold his hand, and wear this tiny, little smile she did when she was perfectly content.

After using her light-controlling powers to vaporize the water off of them to dry off from the rain, they were both perfectly comfortable.

That was until the rain pounded harder. Lifa was sitting tensely, and looking unhappy. Jack frowned. He was about to ask what she was worried about, when the loudest clap of thunder he'd ever heard crashed outside.

**_CrrrRRaaACkkK_**

Lifa screamed out loud, jumping and immediately slapped her hands over her ears tightly, scrunching her eyes shut and trembling.

Jack cocked his head, and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, Sunshine...?"

**_CRRaAAaaCKKkk_**

Lifa flinched again, and let out a quiet whimper of terror. Jack pulled her into a hug, "Never knew you were afraid of thunder, Pipsqueak." he murmured, rubbing his hand up and down the side of her arm comfortingly. He could feel each tiny dent in the steel of the prosthetic limb, and realized even though she could move the limb, she couldn't feel anything touching it. It was steel and chrome, not flesh and bone. It was a metal arm connected to the nerves in her shoulder. That was it.

Instead, he moved his hand up and tucked her hair out of her face, "It's okay...Thunder isn't so bad. It'll go away, alright? Here's a trick my father used during storms, to tell how far away they were..."

Lifa slowly brought her hands away from her ears and clenched her fingers in the fabric of his shirt instead, dead silent, and trembling all over like a wet kitten.

Jack flinched when he saw the roof of the tent light up a bit, with lightning. He hated lightning, but that was just because he had a big giant spider-web like scar in the middle of his back from when he'd been struck out of the sky by it and spent months in a snow drift, painfully healing from spinal damage. Lightning wouldn't kill an immortal, but it'd almost left him paralyzed.

"One one hundred...two one hundred...three one hundred," he counted slowly.

_**CrrAAACkkKK**_

Lifa flinched and mumbled, "I hate that noise so much."

"Well, just wait. One more..."

Lightning again. Jack counted, "One one hundred, two one hundred, three one hundred, four one hundred, five on hundred, six-"

_CRRraaAckk_

It was quiet this time. "See? Got to five that time. It's moving farther away." he smiled, and cupped his hand under her chin, making her look up so she could see him smiling. But Jack's smile vanished when he saw her eyes full of tears.

"There's something else wrong, besides the thunder, isn't there?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, hugging him a little tighter, and burying her face in his shirt. Jack waited patiently for her to reemerge and talk. When she did, he wasn't prepared for what she said.

"I miss my dad...he...he was always there...during storms. And now...He's gone."

Jack sighed, "I know. It's hard having to live like we are now. Immortal, and not who we used to be...I miss my sister, and parents. But I'm not alone, and neither are you."

He kissed the top of her head gently, "Even with little stuff like thunderstorms, I'm still right here. I mean, we'll need to partner up during storms. Lightning terrifies me."

"What? Really?"

"Yep. I got struck by lightning flying once."

Lifa stared up at him in shock.

"Eh, that was like, seventy or eighty years ago? I dunno. Something over sixty."

"Dear to Thor, Jack...How are you still alive?!"

"I ask you that question five times a week, okay? We just don't know the answer to questions like those. I'm not obligated to answer."

Actually, he just didn't want to admit how pathetically helpless he was, laying on his back for months while his powers painfully forced bone fragments back into place and repaired his spine and brought the feeling back into his legs. He was relieved when Lifa laughed, "Okay, I agree."

"Good. Hey, storm's over."

"Thank Odin!"

Jack smiled when she let go of him, and immediately rewound the movie to start where they'd left off. Sitting back against his chest again, Lifa donned that little, content smile he loved so much. Even when thunder cracked in the distance again, she was okay. Jack didn't mind the faint flashes of lightning, either.

It helps when someone shares your fears with you.

* * *

**Cheesy ending. **

**I am ashamed. **


	13. Seasonal Ball Part 2

Lifa stood in the work shop, scowling as elves scampered about, and Tooth held a measure tape across her shoulders. "Lift your arms up, Sweetie."

Lifa obliged, and Tooth measure her arms, frowning like she always did at the metal prosthetic. Lifa glanced away, pressing her lips in a thin line. She rarely felt upset about the steel and chrome limb. It was beautifully crafted, with hidden technology inside. It allowed her to hack anything, track anything, and surf the internet. All she had to do was scan her fingerprint against the hidden finger-pad on the wrist, and it opened it to reveal the high-definition screen and holographic key pad. She took a lot of pride in being able to build stuff like this. But now...

"Mum?"

"Hmm?"

"Can...Can the dress have sleeves? I don't want everyone gawking at...you know."

Tooth gazed at her sadly. "No one is going to think less of you for it. You're not crippled."

"But every time I went to these parties, someone always said, "Are you still in the Golden Army? Oh, you are? Be careful!" or something like that, because I'm so...small." she spat out the last word bitterly. "No matter what I do, they always think I'm weak. Just because I'm a runt."

Tooth's heart hurt for her. This was a constant problem Lifa always ached about. Her premature birth as a human, which rendered her weak for most of her life, and even when she became stronger, like a normal, healthy young woman, everyone fussed and worried over her small height and thin frame. But then, Tooth had a sudden idea. "Lifa, you can program holograms, right?"

Lifa's eyes narrowed a little, "Yeah...What about it?"

"Can't you program them to make the prosthetic look like a real arm?"

Lifa stared at her adopted mother for a moment. Then, she let her lopsided grin crawled across her face. "Mum, you are brilliant."

"Of course I am, I helped raise you, didn't I?"

Lifa laughed. "Right."

"Okay, I have all the measurements! I've already drawn the design, so I'll ship it off to the yeti's and they can start sewing the gown."

Lifa's smile vanished. "I thought it was just a simple dress, not a ball gown."

Tooth laughed, "Hey, you put me in charge. I'm dressing you up, going all out."

"Wonderful," Lifa muttered.

* * *

"Bunny, I appreciate the gesture but...I don't need anything to wear," Jack protested as Bunny dropped the box of clothes on Jack's bed.

They were standing in Jack's room at the Warren. The walls were made up of the stones and pine tree branches that rose thick around the back corner of the Warren. Jack could make it as cold as he wanted in this little spot and not disturb the spring atmosphere anywhere else. Unless, he created a full-blown blizzard. The room had a simple, wooden bed with cool white sheets and pillows, a deep blue quilt, dresser, and a chest of belongings. Bunny always asked him if Jack wanted anything else in the room, but the kid was always fine with what he had.

"The Yeti's, North and Tooth worked really hard on coming up with these clothes. Unless you want to hurt their feelings..." Bunny began, looking at Jack pointedly. Jack slouched against his staff, groaning, "Don't guilt trip me. I don't even want to go!"

Bunny only looked a little surprised when Jack blurted those words out. The Pooka sat down on the edge of the bed, and looked up at Jack, "Alright, talk to me. What's eatin' ya?"

Jack sat down next to him, and crossed his arms, pouting for a little while. Finally, he said, "I don't want to go because I wasn't wanted before. And Summer is gonna be there, and he hates my guts! Do you know how many times he's beaten me to a pulp and then ditched? And then there'll be all other kinds of spirits who don't even like me, and now all of a sudden, I'm a Guardian. What're they gonna say when I show up? And there's Cupid. Lifa and I already together, he doesn't need to start wiggling his magic into our relationship!"

"You told Cupid you and her were only friends," Bunny reminded him.

"Well, yeah..." Jack frowned, "I'm not sure why I did. I guess...Well, Lifa is loved by everyone! And that includes the ones who don't like me. How are people going to react to us dating? I mean, you know what everyone would say...Winter is cold and deadly. The sun is warm and life-giving. We don't...Don't _belong _together."

"Cupid is the Spirit of Love, and he seems pretty enthusiastic about it. Besides, you know Lifa doesn't give a damn about what anyone else says. And if Summer gives you trouble, she and I and the others will back you up."

Jack smiled a little, "So...If I punch him, I won't get in trouble?"

Bunny reached over and ruffled his hair, "Nah, mate. Not with us. So, you comin' or not?"

"I'll be there."

* * *

Lifa squirmed in her seat nervously as Tooth pulled braided the hair on the side of her hair back into the bun her hair was being twisted into. A simple, pretty style. Braids were always Lifa's favorite way to go, actually. She sighed, "Mum, I don't think I should go."

"And why do you say that?" Tooth asked patiently, slipping the last pin in place.

"Because...Everyone knows what happened to me, why I disappeared for over two thousand years. It's all gonna be awkward and pitying looks, and tests on my memory, a couple of sprites trying to prank me with it, and the fact that I'm not a Guardian anymore..."

"Sweetie, you know why you aren't a Guardian-"

"Right, because I'm reckless, I destroy a lot of stuff, and let's face it, I scare kids."

Tooth laughed a little, "Sweet heart, you're earning your way there again. Besides, you're still top-rank in the Golden Army."

"I was honorably discharged."

"Yes, and once you're assessed and deemed fit for duty, they'll place you right back in your rank."

Lifa bit her lip nervously, while Tooth tucked a sun hair pin on the upper side of the bun. Perfect last touch. It closely resembled the mark of a Kingdom where Lifa helped to create a story, long ago...A drop of sunlight fell to Earth...Lifa always smirked when Tooth asked her why she'd done it and Lifa always said, "I thought it was a story worth making."

"There'll be crowds," Lifa finally mumbled.

Tooth's smile vanished. "Oh...Your claustrophobia."

Lifa nodded once.

"Does Jack know?"

"No. I don't want him worrying about me. He does that, you know. Worry."

Tooth packed up the hair supplies, "You know it's just because he cares so much. Jack is really compassionate, and he's just a natural worry-wart."

"But he doesn't _need _to worry!"

Tooth turned around, donning her You're-in-for-a-lecture-now-young-lady look, and crossing her arms. Lifa shrunk back a little bit. Even great warriors crumbled under the prospect of pissing off their mother. "You've given him too many reasons to worry!" Tooth began, and held up a finger for each reason she gave, "One, limb loss. Two, coma. Three, kidnapping. Four, just regular being reckless and getting into trouble! Lifa, you're always putting yourself into unnecessary risks, and we all worry about you. All Jack wants to do is make you smile, because you hardly ever do! You never have fun, and there's no reason why you can't. The world won't fall apart if you stop hunting monsters and such for a few weeks! There are other's doing the job, they just don't because you're doing it for them!"

Lifa stared at the floor, and ran her fingers through her jaggedly long bangs anxiously. Finally, she mumbled, "You think he'll be happy if I go?"

Tooth's facial expression softened, "I know he'd be thrilled."

"Okay. How long until we leave?"


	14. Bruises, Mothers and Changes 1

**A/N Just a Jack/Guardians oneshot. Takes place after the final battle with Pitch. Jack's staff being broken took a bigger toll on him than he thought. Tooth takes charge. The Guardians take him back to the Pole to help him. Jack and Tooth moment, family stuff.**

Jack curled up on the seat in the back of the sleigh, sighing in exhaustion. He still ached all over from his staff being broken, even though it was repaired. Not to mention the battle in general. He really wanted to just curl up and sleep for days.

Jack snapped to attention, startled, when he felt someone put a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Sandy, smiling at him. Jack smiled back. "Welcome back, Sandman."

Sandy signed the image a bed over his head and a few Z's, a snowflake and then a question mark.

Jack shook his head, "I'll just wait until we get back to the Pole. I'll head home after that."

"You'll just leave? But we need to celebrate!" exclaimed Tooth from the front of the sleigh, who immediately flitted over.

"Gah, Tooth," Jack leaned back, "Has anyone after told you about personal bubble?" he began to protest as Tooth smiled, shook her head, and hugged him tightly.

He would've appreciated the hug, had his entire ribcage not been bruised from the damage to his staff. That only earned a cry, and then a groan of pain from him.

Tooth frowned, "Jack, are you hurt?"

"N-no. Just sore." he lied. Okay, not a total lie. But Sandy frowned, and pointed at North, and Bunny, (who was cowering on the floor of the sleigh and mumbling "happy place, happy place, chocolate and eggs, solid ground under my feet..." along those lines)

"Jack, don't you lie to me." Tooth ordered. To hell with personal space, she simply grabbed the front of his hoody and yanked his shirt up, and Jack shouted her full name, "TOOTHIANA!" in protest, shock and indignity.

Tooth gasped. His entire torso was a mess of black, blue, violet, green and yellow bruises, not a single patch of his pale, almost white skin left unharmed. Jack scrambled to roll his shirt back down, mumbling in annoyance, when Tooth whipped around, and called out, "North, Bunny, Jack is hurt!"

"What?" Bunny tried to stand up, but stumbled, "Ohhh, airsick airsick, bloody hell..." he mumbled, shaking his head. Clambering forward, he looked at Jack, "Where ya hit?"

"I'm not hurt!"

"That is the biggest lie I've ever heard," Tooth huffed. Sandy emphasized with a sand picture of Pinocchio's nose getting longer. North glanced behind them, and took out a snowglobe. He knew they'd just keep arguing, so why not just do them all a favor and shorten the trip's time length?

"He's covered in bruises," Tooth was telling Bunny. Bunny just frowned, and listened, while Jack tried to shrink into the back of the sleigh, and Sandy patted his arm sympathetically, as Jack yanked his hood over his head.

"Alright, Frost. Lemme see if your ribs are broken." Bunny finally said, kneeling down in front of the teenager. Jack scowled, "I'm fine!"

"Jack, just let him help you, please," Tooth pleaded earnestly. Jack frowned, and looked away from her. He got a feeling she used the pretty-please-for-me voice on people a lot. Well, it was effective. Bunny, taking it as a sign of acceptance, immediately pulled Jack forward by his shoulders with one paw, and groped his chest with the other, checking for busted ribs. Jack cried out in pain at the bruises being pressed.

"Ribs are fine, Tooth. He's just bruised up. Get 'im a salve, make him take it easy for a few days, and they'll fade."

"But how...?"

"Wait," Bunny muttered, taking hold of Jack's hood. Jack tried to swat him away, but Bunny yanked his hood down anyway. Jack's cheeks were flushed an unhealthy shade of red. "Tooth, I think he's runnin' a fever, too."

"You're all crowding me," Jack mumbled, "S'too hot. Back off."

"Jack, hold on, we are almost to Pole. It is colder there." North called out to them. Since he was driving, he couldn't necessarily jump in. And the wind roaring around his head made it too hard to listen. He took out a snowglobe.

Jack swallowed as he felt a sudden twist in his stomach, "Guys...I feel kinda..." he began as his face turned a little green. Bunny immediately jumped back, and Sandy panicked, following his lead. Tooth, however, set her lips in a grim line, and turned Jack around, pushing him so he hung halfway over the sleigh. Just in time, too. He was violently sick at the moment, vomiting whatever was in his stomach. No one noticed the remnants of Nightmare sand in the...waste. But Tooth rubbed his back soothingly, murmuring, "It's okay, Jack. You've had a rough day. Get it all out, it's okay."

North shook his head worriedly. That was no good. He could hear the retching from where he was sitting, that's all. Bunny and Sandy exchanged worried, grim looks. Jack had no broken ribs, no visible injuries but he was suddenly very, very sick. Bunny took a handkerchief from the strap of his armor, and handed it to Jack, who took it without a word, wiping his mouth off, and looking mortified. Tooth pulled him into a hug, "Hang in there, Jack."

Jack slouched against her, laying his head against her shoulder without even thinking. Now he _really _wanted to sleep. Tooth kept her arms around the bow protectively, "North, how much longer?" she called out.

"About two minutes," he stated in reply. Tossing the snow globe forward with a crashing, chiming noise, the sleigh plowed right into the portal. Multiple cries of surprise emitted from the passengers. Sandy grinned, just excited. Bunny ducked down and covered, muttering, "Bloody hell, North, you're killin' me!"

Tooth simply took one hand from Jack's arm, and lay it on his head protectively, "Hold on tight, Sweet Tooth."

_Sweet Tooth? _Jack thought hazily as the sleigh jolted and swayed through the portal.

* * *

"How is Jack?" North asked when they'd landed. Tooth sighed, continuing to run her hand over Jack's snowy white hair, and keep him cradled in her other arm. "He's sleeping. Still running a fever."

"Let's get 'im inside, then. Sandy?" Bunny looked at the little man.

Sandy nodded, and conjured up a dreamsand cloud just big enough for Jack and Tooth. Tooth helped lay Jack's sleeping form on it, and sat down next to him. Jack mumbled incoherently in his sleep, something about it being too hot and it hurting.

"Guys...How much do we know about nature spirits?" she asked worriedly as they went into Santoff Clausen.

North went ahead to prepare an ice cold room for Jack to rest. Sandy looked at Bunny to answer the question, and winced at how grim he looked.

"Heat is very, very bad for an ice spirit, Tooth. It's painful, and poisonous to them. Frost has a fever, meaning the heat is in his own body. That would be _really _bad. It's like...Cold to a summer spirit. Makes them weak, sleepy, and sick. We need to cool him down A.S.A.P, or he'll just be sick again. We all enjoyed _that _pleasant experience."

"So he's in pain?" Tooth dared to ask.

"Probably. If he is, it'd be a good amount. I know ice spirits. Even down to their skin cells, they're thirty degrees or less. Forty degree weather, even just ten degrees up, will knock 'em out for the count. Just like anything under sixty degrees for a Summer spirit will stop most of the functions in their body-"

Bunny noticed Sandy waving his arms in protest, and pointing at Tooth. Bunny looked over at the fairy, and was shocked to see her looking down at Jack with tear filled eyes. Jack's eyebrows were knitted together in confusion as he slept, only somewhat peacefully. He squirmed and tried to stretch out, probably thinking a different position would make the discomfort go away. But his breath hitched in his throat, and a low, pitiful whine of pain escaped him. Bunny never really CARED about the kid, but seeing him like that...No one wanted this.

Tooth leaned down, stroking Jack's hair and murmuring, "It's okay, Sweet Tooth. Just stay still."

"Room is ready. I used ice storage room, it should be cold enough," North said, coming back down the hall. "Yeti's have moved bed in for him. How is he?"

"He just needs to cool down," Bunny told him, following him down the hall as North lead the way. "He's way overheated from all that's happened. Too much excitement, too much being tossed around, probably a lot of stress. And being around the Boogeyman with so little believers from the very beginning...so of Pitch's powers might have done this."

"Yes, but Pitch is gone now. It will fade, da?"

"Yeah, it will." Bunny nodded as Tooth and Sandy maneuvered Jack onto the bed in the middle of the freezer that was full of blocks of ice. Jack sighed in his sleep, relieved at the sudden cold around him. Tooth smiled, "He's feeling better already."

"Do we just keep him here?" Bunny muttered, "I don't know the kid all that well, but I do know he's sort of a...nomad."

"What?" Tooth turned around.

"It means he just travels. He doesn't live anywhere. Sleeps wherever he ends up when night falls." Bunny explained.

North, Tooth, and Sandy stared at him. Finally, North spoke up. "He has no home, then. Well, he will just stay here. In the mean time, we must look after him until we know what is the cause of his injuries."

"I'll take first watch." Tooth spoke up.

* * *

_Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd had a good dream. But he knew this was a dream._

_Mostly because his mother was gone now. He barely remembered her so far, but he knew that he was very sick. A disease had taken his town. Only a few were ill. Some good doctors had come at the call from the next towns over, and were quickly ridding the town of the disease, thank God. But Jack's home was far down the road, almost in the woods, from the rest of the town. _

_The doctor hadn't come for him yet._

_His eyes were streaked with yellow, bloodshot and unfocused. His cheeks burned red with the raging fever, his hair plastered to his forehead as he shivered in cold sweat. He'd been sick again, earlier. There had been blood this time. His stomach ached, and burned in pain. His head pounded relentlessly, and the only comfort was his mother sitting at his bedside, singing to him softly, and stroking his hair. Emma had been sent out of the house to the neighbor's to escape the disease. Fifteen year old Jack Overland had deadly Yellow Fever. For a split second, he felt his mother's hand pull away._

_"Momma?!" he slurred, jolting out of his semi-conscious state. Terrified, that she was gone. But she was only getting the cold cloth for his forehead. She turned, wiping his face and neck with the cold, wet rag. He squirmed weakly. It burned and scratched against his skin. But the cold was pleasant._

_His mother smiled at him kindly, "Yes, Jackie?"_

_"Y-you won't l-leave...r-right?"_

_"Of course not. I would never leave my baby boy. You're going to be fine. The doctor is coming tomorrow morning, and he'll help you."_

_"It h-hurts, M-Momma." he coughed._

_"I know. I know. It's okay, baby." she cooed, stroking his hair again. Jack's eyes remained only half away as they lost their focus once more, and he fell back into his fever-driven haze. _

_He flinched as he felt the rag suddenly wipe under his nose. He felt something warm running down his face. Jack knew he was bleeding again. "M'scared. Don't want to die," he whispered brokenly._

_"You're not going to die," Momma stated, a fact. "No fever is taking my baby away, God damn it all!"_

_Jack's cracked, dry lips twitched into a smile. That was his mother. She'd beat death away from him with a broom if it came down to it, and force Death to peel potatoes for dinner. _

_He fell back asleep, comforted by his mother's stubbornness._

* * *

Tooth kept running her hand over Jack's hair, trying to comfort him. Jack moaned and squirmed under the cool, white blanket, as the fever refused to back off. In fact, it worsened. He became drenched in sweat, and his breath became harsh, labored wheezes. Tooth was scared to death when he suddenly mumbled, "Tooth...? S'that you?"

Tooth shook her head, recovering. "Yes, Sweet Tooth. How you feeling?"

"Not good," Jack mumbled with blunt honesty. "Reminds me of...of...uhh...yellow fever."

Tooth blinked, "Why? Did you catch it once?"

She knew that as immortals, they couldn't age, or catch most mortal diseases unless they were already weakened. Nothing short of impaling an immortal, and cutting them to small pieces, or crushing their center, would kill them. A fever like this, however, to a nature spirit...That was complicated.

"When I was human," Jack responded blearily, "I was...fifteen...I caught it. It was awful. Scared Momma out of her wits..."

Tooth smiled. Momma. An old fashioned, common name for a mother. Nowadays, Jack could probably be mocked, called childish for using that phrase instead of just Mom, or Mother. Tooth knew Jack was from the 1700's. Momma and Ma were the most common names for their mother.

"You remember now, don't you?" Tooth asked gently.

"Only a little. I remember my sister the most," the first smile Jack had donned since his fever had struck him spread over his lips, "Cutest little girl ever. Sassy to the boot, too, never let me get away with anything unless I let her in on it. Loved piggy-back rides..."

Tooth laughed a little, "Sounds a little like you."

"Eh, I dunno...don't remember much still. But I was dreaming a while ago...Remember laying in bed like this at home. I was really, really sick...Couldn't even move. Momma sent Emma, my sister, to the neighbor's so she wouldn't get sick, too. I told her I was scared, that I didn't want to die. And she said..."

Jack laughed painfully, "She said, "You're not going to die. No fever is taking my baby away, God damn it all!" " he quoted.

Tooth laughed, but the laugh died away when she saw the sad, grief stricken look on Jack's face that replaced his smile.

"Momma is gone...I can't see her anymore." he whispered, frosty tears filling his eyes as he tried to blink them away. "She's gone. They're all gone..."

Tooth reached over, running her fingers through his hair again. It'd seemed to comfort him before. "I know, Jack...They died a long time ago. But they still had spirits. For all you know, your mother and sister could be spirits right now. If not, they're happy in the afterlife. There is one, you know." she added, "After all, spirits and resurrections from death..Afterlife kind of goes in with the package."

"You don't understand, Tooth!" Jack shouted suddenly. "I died! I fell in the lake, I drowned, and just like that, I was dead to them! I never got to tell them I'm okay, that I became Jack Frost! Now my mother is _dead and I'll never see her again!"_

Tooth's hand pulled away from him. But Jack's own hand shot out, closing around her wrist, terror in his eyes. "No, wait, I'm sorry I yelled...Please don't leave."

"I'm not leaving Jack," she assured him, gently prying his hand's death grip from her wrist. "Just...You were upset. I thought you didn't want to be touched."

"No. No, it's okay. M-my mom used to do that. Th-the hair thing. When I was sick. Made me feel better." he glanced away from her.

"So you are feeling better?" Tooth perked up immediately with hope, as she ran her hand over Jack's hair once more. He immediately relaxed, amazingly. He was so childlike. He mumbled, "Yeah. M'just tired now."

"Alright...Well, one question."

"Hm?"

"Where did those bruises come from?"

Jack's peaceful facial expressed faltered. "I-I don't really know...Pitch broke my staff...It hurt. It hurt worse than anything I'd ever felt. I-I fixed it. But I guess..."

"Oh, Jack...it's a part of you, isn't it?"

Jack swallowed, and nodded subtly. "It it gets damaged, so do I."

"Well. We'll just have to keep you both out of harms way, then." Tooth smiled gently. "Go back to sleep, alright?"

Jack smiled back, and closed his eyes. "'Kay."

Jack wasn't sure why he let this happen. Let himself be tucked into bed, pass out in the sleigh, be carried like an infant, fussed over and then let Tooth touch him. He hadn't been touched by another living thing for decades. When Jamie had hugged him, he was shocked at first. The first thought was, What the hell is going on? The second was his brain trying to decide if it was painful, neutral or good. When it decided it was good, he'd relaxed and hugged Jamie back. And he'd liked it, the feeling of touch driving away remnants of his loneliness.

And now, Tooth's kind words, and gentle touches, smiles, and gentle questions to get answers from him reminded him...Well, it made Jack think of...

It reminded him of his mother. Tooth was so, so much like his mother. Even with the little memories he had, there were so many similarities, in personality, and the way she'd look at him. Tooth looked at him like he was her own child, and he knew it. Her fingers combing through his hair soothingly just emphasized it all. Tooth, at first, had done that on instinct, knowing somehow it would comfort him. And it does. Somehow, it always has.

"Tooth?" he asked suddenly, cracking his eyes open a little.

"Hm?" she hummed quietly in response.

"You'll...still be here...when I wake up, right?" he hesitated. He didn't want to be alone. God forbid that he would be alone anymore.

"Well...Depends when you wake up."

"What?"

"We're all taking shifts," she explained, "Sandy is next. Then Bunny, then North, then me again. We're all worried about you, Sweet Tooth."

"All of you?!" Jack asked in pure disbelief.

Tooth smiled, and nodded. "I know it's hard to believe now, Jack, but you've got a family. At least...If you want it." she hesitated.

"I-I do." he stammered, "I do."

"Good, because North is already setting up a room for you, like it or not."

Jack smiled tiredly as he closed his eyes again, sighing contentedly. "Old coot's too nice for his own good..." he mumbled before falling asleep.

* * *

"How is he?" Bunny asked, walking to the room.

He blinked in surprise to find Tooth's head down on the edge of the bed, resting on her free arm, Jack curled as close to her as possible, and her other hand resting on his head, fingers mid-way through his hair.

"Tooth." Bunny knelt down next to her. Taking one look at Jack, he noticed Jack's face back to it's original white pallor. The fever had broken. "Tooth, you, can, um...Leave, you know. Oi," he shook her shoulder a little, "Wake up."

"Eh? Heh? What?" she blinked blearily lifted her head. "Oh! Sorry, fell asleep..."

"Frost's fever is broken, you know. You can go get some actual sleep."

"No. I want to stay here."

"What? Why?"

Tooth shrugged, and smiled. "He's cute when he sleeps. Besides, I promised he wouldn't be alone when he woke up. And he probably doesn't want you here, after the...Easter incident."

Ouch. That stung a little. Was she made at him for that?

Judging by the way she was looking at him, (it distinctly reminded Bunny of a Mama Bear ready to maul someone who just upset her cub. He shuddered involuntarily.) she was definitely pissed.

"Did you and him have some sort of, I dunno, emotional moment?"

"His memories came back, Bunny. A few of them. He remember his mother. I was just...sitting here. He kept whining in his sleep, so I tried to calm him down, by, um, petting his hair. It worked, almost immediately, he just calmed down. And when he woke up, he got a little upset because he'd had a dream of one of his memories, and he was...heart broken. His mother is gone, and it just sunk in for him, Bunny. He yelled at me, once, telling me I didn't understand. So I backed off from him...And he just looked so _scared _that I was going to leave him."

Bunny stared at the floor, not really sure how to respond.

"A-and he asked me to do it again. The hair petting, I mean. He said his mother did it whenever he was upset, or sick. So I did, and he went back to sleep. Bunny, I...I don't know what to do. He's still a child."

"Pardon? I don't think so," Bunny snorted.

"No, you don't understand. He was a child when he died, and a child when he became immortal. Some part of him will always be a child, and a child needs a mother, a family, _someone to take care of him."_

Tooth shivered, "H-he hasn't had anyone, ever, for three hundred years."

"So what do you want us to do?" Bunny asked tiredly.

"Uh...Can I adopt him?"

"You make him sound like a puppy."

"But look how _cute _he is!" she protested.

Bunny rolled his eyes, "Yeah, puppies are cute. Until they start tearing things up, peeing all over the place, and whatnot."

"Jack is a boy, not a dog."

"Jack is almost a grown man." Bunny corrected her.

Tooth shot him a glare that made him take a step back. "How old does he look to you?" she demanded, "Physically?"

"Er..." Bunny turned and looked at sleeping Jack. Without any of his facades, or cold facial expressions thrown up, he looked so peaceful asleep, and innocent, like any other kid. "I dunno...Sixteen, maybe seventee-_Oh."_

_"Oh _is right, Bunny. He's trapped in the body and mind of someone who can't grow up, and can't be a child. He's stuck in between."

"And we left 'im alone..."

"Not anymore. So help me, I will make things change around here. No more staying out of touch with each other!" Tooth stated firmly.

Bunny backpedaled, "Wait, no, you can't start making laws-"

"They're not laws, they're guidelines. Bunny, we need to...be closer. Have more constant meetings, get together on holidays, keep our doors open to each other, drop in to say hi each week, whenever we can, no matter what, _we can't leave Jack alone anymore!"_

Tooth raised her voice a little and Jack groaned softly in annoyance. She immediately bent down and kissed his temple, murmuring, "Sorry, Sweet Tooth."

Jack's lips twitched into a smile, and he drifted off again from his semi-awakening. Bunny watched this unfold. "He...Trusts you, doesn't he?"

"I saw his memories. Just a peek, I couldn't help it...And I felt his thoughts too."

Bunny raised his eye brows, "And...?"

"I remind him of his mother. A-and he felt so _happy _not to be alone! He's in so much pain, and he's so scared we'll leave him and-"

"Gah, okay, okay!" Bunny caved, cutting her off. "If you love him that much, we'll try and give it a shot. The staying closer together thing you want, I mean."

"What? Really?" Tooth shot straight up in the air with the biggest smile had ever seen on her face, hands clasped in pure joy.

"Really." he confirmed wearily.

Tooth full tackled him in a hug, "Thank you, Bunny, thankyouthankyou-"

Right then, North and Sandy walked in. "What is this about?" North asked in amusement and confusion.

"North! Bunny and I have decided things are going to change around here." Tooth already jumped into explaining, as Bunny tried to pry her off of him, choking out that she was suffocating him. Dear god, the woman had a grip!

Sandy and North exchanged frightened glances as Tooth said, "As soon as Jack is completely recovered, we're having a meeting, and I'm in charge of it! No one is skipping out, either."

North opened his mouth to question her, even to protest, when Jack sat upright looking particularly grumpy. "You're all so _loud!"_

__"Um, why is Tooth hugging Bunny? Why do you two look so scared? Guys?" Jack asked, trying to put the pieces together, watching the Guardian's communicate. Somewhat. Tooth as making no sense, Bunny was just trying to breathe through her rib-cracking hug, and North and Sandy were trying to find ways to get her to stop chattering.

"Huh...as the saying goes..." Jack smiled a little, "Families are like fudge. With a few nuts," he said outloud, looking at Tooth pointedly at the words a few nuts.

"What?" Tooth turned around, as the rest of the Guardians laughed as she tackled Jack in the next death-grip hug, as he looked at them for help and explanations.

Bunny smiled and shook his head. Boy, was the kid in for an...exciting new life.

* * *

**A/N I'll just end it here. I was improvising this, needed to burn off some writing energy. **

**Also wanted to start filling in the two years before Pitch's Old Comrade. I also love Jack/Motherly moments, be it his birth mother or hyperactive Tooth.**

**I genuinely think Tooth may or may not be A.D.H.D.**


	15. Hunter AU

**A/N So I'm on tumblr, roleplaying with one of my favorite blogs. Jack/Lifa SPN A.U. They're searching for Hiccup, who's been possessed by a demon. Merida and Punzie are M.I.A**

**Jack died, and came back a few years later, kind of a Dean W. deal. Now he's helping Lifa search for her father. Toothless is a GIGANTIC black cat who will tear you apart if you mess with Hiccup's baby girl.**

**Just a drabble on Hiccup's possession of the demon.**

* * *

****It was three in the morning.

Hiccup stumbled up the stairs, trying to keep his vision focused. The demon had gotten into the house, he could feel it there, searching for him. He collapsed on the top of the stairs, head spinning. The demonic had thrown the door open so fast when Hiccup tried to hold it shut, that the corner of it hit him in the head so hard, he knew he had a concussion.

He had to make it to her room. He had to wake up his daughter, tell her to hide, to stay safe, and then he had to leave. Gods forbid, _he didn't want to leave his daughter to fend for herself!_

Hiccup staggered to his feet, and fell against the wall of the hallway with such force, his weight put a dent in it. A delayed response, waiting in silence...

"Dad? Are you okay?" came the sleepy voice from the room at the end of the hall. "What was that thud?"

He opened his mouth to call out to her, to run, to get out. But it was too late. Black smoke roared through the air vent, forcing it's way inside him, clouding his senses, setting every nerve on fire with pain. Hiccup hit the floor, shuddering, convulsing as he fought to keep control from the demon trying to possess him. Forcing himself to his feet, he stumbled down the hall, and opened the door to his daughter's room. She was climbing down from her loft bed, wearing her red flannel pajama's, Toothless circling the ladder to her bed impatiently, casting weary glances, snarling, growling, bristling, trying to warn her.

"Lifa," he choked out, gripping the door frame for a moment. Taking the ring of keys he always kept in his brown vest's pocket, he broke off the one to her closet, and took out his address book. "I-I need to l-leave."

"What?!" she demanded, jumping down from the ladder, and running towards him. "Dad, what's wrong with you? You're bleeding!" she gasped, reaching up, trying to take his face in her hands.

Hiccup coughed, and tasted copper. "No. No, I'm fine. Hide in the closet," he ordered, taking her by her shoulders, and pushing her across the room into her closet. "St-stay in here. No matter what, do not come out until Toothless calms down."

"Dad-" she protested.

"NO. Listen to me! You have to hide. T-take Toothless, and this," he gave her the book. "I circled names. Find these people. They'll keep you safe."

Lifa stared up at him as he made her sit down on the floor of the closet, among shoes, bags, and some discarded clothes. "Dad, you're scaring me. What is happening?! W-why are you hurt?!"

"I'm okay." he muttered, darkness clouding his vision, for a moment blocking his daughter's terrified face. He blinked rapidly, and repeated, "I'm okay. Promise me you'll follow the book. Toothless will keep you safe. You got that, bud?"

The cat dashed past him, assuming the loyal position at his daughter's side, growling in agreement. "G-good cat. Look after her...Lifa, _promise."_

Lifa's eyes filled with tears. Her father's head, nose, and mouth were dripping blood. He wasn't making sense. "I-I p-p-promise."

"Good girl..." he pulled her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head, "I love you," he whispered, rocking her back and forth a little. "Don't be scared. Everything will be okay."

Before Lifa could response, her father let her go, and closed the closet door. Lifa surged up, pounding her fists against it was she heard the locket click, and the window outside shatter as more demons forced entry. "Dad! DADDY! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE!"

She didn't notice the key slide under the door.

Hiccup did it so he couldn't let her out, so the demon couldn't. He ducked under the black smoke as he felt himself losing control. He needed to get away from her, from his home, before the demon completely took over and destroyed it. He bolted out the room, down the stairs, out the front door, and down the road. Forget unlocking the car. Demons can get into technology.

He ran. He ran faster, longer, and farther than he'd ever had in his life. He thought about his wife, long gone, Astrid. He thought about his daughter, who he knew was safe, was smart, who could fend for herself, however much he wished he could be there to guide her. It helped him stay focused. But he staggered on his feet when the demon thrashed inside him for control, coughing blood as it damaged him from the inside.

_She's safe. My baby girl is safe. Merida...Punz...Bunnymund...she'll find them. _He thought hazily as he fell crumpled on the side of the long, barren road, choking on his own blood. He'd die before he let a demon use him to hurt his friends, like the demon that took Jack away in the first place. He wished he could've explained to Lifa what was happening, not leave her in a dark hiding place, with him disappearing off the face of the Earth.

He'd told her stories of his friends, of Jack. The boy who died a hero, who saved lots of people he loved. Merida, the toughest warrior, an shooter who NEVER missed her target, and had a hot-headed temper to match anyone who dared to try and go toe-to-toe with her. Rapunzel, the sweetest girl you'd ever meet. She was kind, caring, and looked after them. The Den Mother if their group. But if you messed with her, she'd screw you up on the spot. Underestimated, and overachieving. Jack...A stupid hero. Stupid, stupid hero.

Maybe he'd get to see the arrogant dumb ass soon, judging by all the blood Hiccup was seeing now.

* * *

Finally, the house was silent. The shrieking demons were gone. Toothless nudged the key towards Lifa, who sat shivering, cowering on the floor of the closet, murmuring, "Dad, p-please come back...Please don't leave me, come back, comebackcomeback..."

Taking the key, she shakily unlocked the door, and it creaked open.

Her home was destroyed.

Her father, _her wonderful, brave, loving father, _was nowhere to be seen.

She was alone.

Lifa took the address book with her shaking hands, opening it. First address, labeled ONE, circled in Easter green, E. Aster Bunnymund, Burgess.

The book held instructions. "Dad...What the hell is happening? What do you want me to find?"

Toothless brushed against her shins, comforting her, as she moved sluggishly around her room, gathering what she could. Her Swiss army knife, sketch books and the few unbroken pencils, her survival supplies and book from summer camp. Some clothes, spare shoes, her compass, binoculars, her yo-yo. Always useful, actually a good weapon. The hatchet her mother had left her, Toothless's food bowl, and catnip...All in her brown, Army Surplus rucksack. Hefting it onto her shoulders, she walked down the stairs, into the garage. Her father had built her a motor bike last Christmas. She'd never ridden it yet, though. She staggered back a little bit, overwhelmed, wiping her eyes.

Toothless whined quietly, pawing at her feet. She folded a towel int he basket of the bike, and dropped him into it. "S'okay, bud," she croaked. "We're leaving. We're going on an adventure, yeah? W-we're going to Burgess."

Toothless meowed loudly, as she opened the garage door, and sat on the bike seat, revving the motor up, driving forward, and riding it as fast as she could down the road. Fast, because she wanted to get away. Fast, because the wind kept her awake, alert.

Fifteen year old Lifa, in her pajama's, a gargantuan cat at her side, with nothing to guide her but her father's address book, was running away from her old life, and into a hunter's.


	16. Hunter AU 2

**Eight months later-**

Jackson Overland Frost ran his hand over his hair, shoving the door open to the candy shop. It was called the Egg Hunt, because the owner had some sort of undying love for Easter.

"Hey, Bunnymund, I need..." he began, but the own of the shop was nowhere to be seen. Most candy shops were pinks, purples, or chocolate browns. But this one was mostly Easter and spring greens and yellows. And Jack stopped dead in his tracks when he heard voices from the back room, where Bunny, a retired hunter, kept his firearm and hunting supplies.

"...And I need one more favor," came a young, female voice.

"Aye, I already gave ya enough guns."

"I need you to help me bury a body. Necromancy case."

"Bloody hell, again?!"

Jack burst into the room. "Bunny, did you help murder someone?!"

Aster Bunnymund turned around in surprise. He was wearing the same old sky-blue shirt with the sleeves pushed up to reveal his tattooed forearms, the shop's green apron uniform with Easters eggs printed on the front, jeans, and worn out brown combat boots. His tattoos were strange markings of a deep, slate-grayish blue that Bunny always simply told Jack were tribal marks, of a warrior. He had some sort of heritage he never told the kid about. He had a slightly overgrown crew-cut hairstyle, of hair that was such a deep black it had silvery, blueish shine waves and hightlights. He wasn't very clean shaven,always had a small beard, was six foot one, and was as well muscled and fit as someone who had only gotten out of a high military rank a few days ago. Generally intimidating, with a thick Australian accent, and vibrant green eyes. Aster crossed his arms, tapping his fingers in annoyance. He had a golden wedding ring. Jack knew he was married, with a son. He'd met Aster's family several times, and was jealous of the happy family.

But he wasn't thinking about all that now. There was a girl in a red plaid shirt, jeans, combat boots, and hair shoved back into a gray flat cap. The rest of it tumbled down in thick, loosely curled locks, a deep coppery brown. She had forest colored eyes, mostly brown, but also green, with a light dusting of freckles over her cheeks and nose, and bow lips that were a deep, healthy pink. She hefted a duffelbag over her shoulder, full of firearms she'd just received from Bunny. "Bunny, who is she?" he asked.

"Er, Jack...This is-"

"Lifa Hiccup Haddock the Fourth." she scowled. "And you, string bean?"

The words hit him like a ton of bricks, double the pain and double the force. "Haddock?"

"Yes. Are you dense?"

"No! Are you lacking in social skills?"

"Who are you?"

"Jack Overland Frost!"

Lifa scowled. Bunny slipped out of the room, muttering to Lifa, "Just be a minute," and plucking Jack out by his shirt collar. "Oi! Oi, Bunny, lemme go!"

Bunny closed the door behind him. "Jack, I'm telling you right now, do not pick a fight with this girl."

"Why did she say her name was Hiccup Haddock?!" Jack demanded.

"Look, mate, I know it's been hard, the past three years. Getting used to...to..."

"Not being dead," Jack answered bitterly. "And not being able to find my friends. Being too afraid to."

Bunny's face softed, and he put his hands on Jack's shoulders, so he had to look him in the eye. "Jack, if you need it confirmed, this is Hiccup's daughter. I ain't seen her since she was two years old. I'm just as put off as you are. Last I saw her, she barely went up to my knee, and was singing Hakuna Matata non-stop. The ankle-biter loved Disney. But she is your friend's kid."

"So she knows where Hiccup is?!" Jack's face was the embodiment of hope.

But Bunny's grim expression dashed it all to dust. "No...No. She's become a hunter, to find him. He's been M.I.A for eight months, and communications to the other two were cut off a year before you came around. Some sort of lay-low safety thing. I don't know anything, not really. But Hiccup gave her instructions. He knew this would happen."

"Hiccup is in danger." Jack deadpanned, his eyes darkening.

"I don't know." Bunny shook his head. "...I don't know," he repeated. "But we all kind of...well, when Lifa was born, she was the first kid any of our little hunter gang had. We all promised we'd look after her, and when Punzie and Eugene had the twins, same thing...Jack, I'm her Godfather. So do me a favor?"

Jack looked at him with resignation, "Yes?"

"Go with her on this hunt. Keep her safe. I...I can't do it. I need to stay here, with Dahlia, and Esmond." Bunny glanced away. Jack remembered, he was a discharged member of the military. He'd been away from his family long enough.

"Alright," Jack agreed.

"I'll keep Hiccup Junior outta trouble."

* * *

**A/N continuing upon request. REVIEW PLEASE**


	17. Best Friends

_**Dedicated to Katyuana and her wonderful, brilliant cat.**_

_**Rest in peace, kitty. **_

* * *

Lifa was sad. Jack and the others could see that much. But none of them could pinpoint why.

It was difficult to tell what Lifa's emotions were up to. For the love of God, she was like a Vulcan, who only showed a few emotions- Severely pissed off, homicidal, and ridiculously excited.

But Jack could tell when she was sad. She'd become awfully quit, her voice soft and tired. Her shoulders would be tense, or sulking. And she would always seem to be looking somewhere far away, her jaw clenched.

At the moment, she was sitting on the island of Berk. It was quite dull now, most life gone from it, but Bunny had secretly been spreading some nature magic around. Moss and little plants were slowly springing up, and the earth gradually becoming richer. He wanted to cheer her up. Lifa would camp out at this cove, with high stone walls, and dull, flat gray water.

She sat on the rocks jutting over the water, legs dangling over the edge. She kept skipping rocks, whipping them over the water, and scowling.

Jack crept up behind her, having gotten tired of just standing there. He leaned on his staff, watching her, then spoke up, "You're lonely, aren't you?"

Lifa glanced at him. "That's a shitty thing to say."

"Sorry...but...you only get this way when you feel alone. Why?"

Lifa sighed, "It's just...I miss my best friend. I didn't have to make my own wings when he was around. I had him to fly."

Jack sat down next to her. "Er, you knew a person who could fly?"

She laughed bitterly, "No, you dumb ass. A dragon. The only Night Fury. People used to say he was like a cat. I guess he was, though...cute. Did whatever he wanted to do..."

"And he could fly?"

"Oh, yeah. Fastest dragon alive! He took me every where. He was always there, even before I was born, he was looking after my dad even when my dad was a kid."

Jack smiled, "Sounds like a real friend."

Lifa fell silent again, nodding, and chucking another rock in the water. She spoke up again, "I couldn't walk very well, as a kid. I was born premature. My legs were weak, so...he carried me. He caught me when I fell, he always came when I called, he was there on the stormy nights when my parents weren't, he was there to shoot fire at my bullies, and he was fighting with every goddamn piece of life he had the day I died to try and save me. And when I died...he didn't fly for a very, very long time..." her eyes welled up with tears and she blinked, letting them trickle down her face, "Even if I lost everything, I could never lose Toothless. You could take everything away from me. My pride, my powers, my life, my family, my friends, but if you tried to pull Toothless away, he would personally escort you to the gates of Hell."

Jack raised his eyebrows at the name "toothless" but didn't say anything. Lifa didn't realize that she had begun to cry until Jack reached out, and brushed his thumb against her cheek, wiping a tear away. "Just because your best friend is gone, doesn't mean you're alone. He's still around, somewhere."

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Come on. There is some sort of incredible force of luck keeping you alive," Jack smiled gently, keeping his hand cupped against her face to keep her from turning away and avoiding him, "Man in Moon must have thought you might need a friend's spirit to help you out. After all, you are reckless."

Lifa's tears began to fall faster, "That's not true, and you know it. He's gone. All my friends are gone!"

"That's too pessimistic, and not even logic. If they're your true friends, they never really leave. You can still smile about the little things they did, cry about some things they said, and miss them whole-heartedly. And that's because they've wormed their way into your heart, and they are never, ever going to leave because they were meant to be there. Like my sister. She's still here for me. Just like your parents, and your unholy offspring of lightning and death best friend."

Jack didn't regret what he'd said. He didn't know where he pulled the words from, but they were true. And they struck Lifa right to the core, because she let out a sob, and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shirt, and crying her heart out. Jack hugged her tightly, letting her cry. He hated it when she cried, because he loved seeing her smile. But right now, crying was good. Crying over lost friends is what proves that they were the important, true friends you needed.

Your best friends never really leave. They never really arrive in your heart, either. They were always there, meant to be, from the beginning.

* * *

_True friends will laugh at your stupid jokes, and your clumsy mistakes. They'll laugh when you fall down ridiculously, before helping you up and asking if you're okay. They'll cry with you with your losses, they'll see your failures as their own and seek to change your chances of success for the better. As far as you may drift away from each other, you never truly leave each other's hearts._

_It doesn't specify your best friend as a human being, a book, or a cat. Anything that makes you cry, makes you laugh, brings you new views and adventures, that you live and die with, is a best friend. _

_That's what keeps them in your heart, no matter how far they go from you._

**Rest in peace, Duke. **


	18. The Northern Lights

**A/N I just got hit with the inspiration. So in the movie, when summoning the Guardians, the Northern lights are green (Bunny) and pink (tooth) Right? And in the middle, between the colors, it's kind of a whitish gold. Sandy, I suppose.**

**You get the point. It's just a little drabble to get people thinking. It's writing energy to burn off. I might continue this.**

**Anyway, PITCH'S OLD COMRADE WILL BE UPDATED SOON. I HAVE STARTED THE CHAPTER, AND I WILL WORK ON IT TONIGHT. IT'LL BE UPDATED BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK. IF NOT, GO AHEAD AND PESTER ME, BECAUSE I'LL DESERVE IT.**

**Here's your drabble.**

* * *

The Northern lights were always the means North had to summon the others. But the lights changed over time. The colors change. Once, they had gold in their lights, when Lifa was still a Guardian.

They turned green when Bunnymund became a Guardian. Pink, when Tooth came around. White, always they'd been white because Sandy had always been there. And now, blue, because Jack was here now. All the colors, mingling into a single light to call all of them. Except gold. No more gold.

Of course, Jack never noticed the colors and what they meant. They were hardly used. But one of these days, he was going to notice.

And when he did, he was going to ask questions, because that's what he did. Questions were always popping into his head, and he blurted them out before he thought it through. Even though Jack had been illiterate some time ago, and honestly lacked proper common sense, Jack was a thinker. The smallest thing lead to a plethora of new questions and ideas, and Jack was unexpectedly quiet at times. And those were the times where he was thinking. Because Jack Frost was smart.

And needless to say, not a lot of things got past him.

So when the next summoning came, and he saw the lights, and the little artist inside him noticed the colors, and his thinker-mind starts wandering, he'll know why those colors are there. And then he'll remember Lifa was a Guardian once, and he'll notice there isn't any gold in the lights. So then he'll come up with the biggest question all the little thought trails, ideas, and remembering lead to.

Why isn't Lifa a Guardian anymore?

And then the thought trails come back. Who does he ask that? And how are they going to answer? How does he ask them? Does he sneak around? He can't ask Lifa, there's no telling how she'll react. Sad, angry, or she might not even know herself. No, of course she knows! Doesn't she? Sometimes her mind wasn't all there, they all knew that.

But Jack hadn't noticed the Northern Lights yet. He was going to. Some day, he was going to look up and the questions would come flooding forward. Just not today.

But soon.


End file.
